The Last Fire Lord
by Urizen
Summary: Set after the chapters The Boiling Rock parts 1 & 2. Zuko notices something in the group and realizes his destiny lies elsewhere. Will he have the chance to correct all his past mistakes?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**A/N:** I hadn't really thought of giving fan fiction another try, but the show is so good that it gave me an idea. So here it is. Oh, and thanks to Rosey, my dear proof reader and the one who corrects my grammar and spelling mistakes.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar, The Last Airbender is property of Nickelodeon, so please don't sue.

**In Plain Sight**

Those born as royalty saw life in a very different waythan the rest of the people did. They were used to having everything they needed, everything they wanted, delivered to them on a silver plate.

Literally.

It was not that they were lazy, or that they did not know or understand the value of things, but sometimes the lack of hardships on their lives prevented them from learning priceless abilities to adapt; or even to survive.

Former Crown Prince Zuko had not learned patience. It had been forced upon him as the scar that adorned his face. It had been branded into him as brutally as possible. While he'd had a very wealthy upbringing, he'd been used to having everything done his way ever since he had first uttered a word.

Spoiled by his mother and protected by every Fire Nation soldier, his words were law and his wishes took more time to be mentioned than being fulfilled.

Even in exile, he was still royalty. Even with his shame bare in his face for all to see, his words were still law in on his small ship. What he asked, he got; what he demanded, he attained.

Thus, Zuko didn't have patience. Worse, he didn't understand patience. It was not something built in his system. It was a practiced response to the problems he'd faced while in exile. He had stopped asking, because lately when he asked, he was rebutted and, frankly, most of the times it was violently.

Case in point, he was trying to teach the Avatar -the last airbender, the hope of the world- how to create a fire whip. It hadn't been easy when he'd tried to do it the first time, but he was forced to learn. He had to remind himself how strong his sister was and how she had humiliated him all her life. It wasn't fair, in a sense, that she was stronger than he. He had worked harder. He had gone through worse things in life. He had lost more than she could imagine.

He had feelings.

He watched as the Avatar tried. It seemed that the 12 year-old boy was really trying, but after the time he had spent with the little group of fugitives, he had gotten to know them.

The Avatar was more interested in having fun and impressing the water bender peasant than learning the basics of fire bending. And it was very frustrating to the former Crown Prince, because he'd had excellent teachers, merciless even, and the couple of years he spent on the sea, searching for the very same young boy he stared at now, had helped him focus in his training.

Yet, the Avatar, the planet's spirit in human form, didn't seem to be paying attention, and it was starting to get on the Firebender's nerves.

It wasn't the first time it had happened; and he was sure it wouldn't be the last. He had also silently watched how the avatar sparred with the other two benders in the group. The monk did try when he was with the blue eyed peasant, but it was due to the painfully obvious crush he had on the Waterbender. With the blind Earthbender, the Avatar merely followed the motions and practiced with the same fake smile the little monk was so good at showing. It was clear that the blind earth bender intimidated the Avatar, but the fear factor had worked wonders when improving the boy's earth bending.

Zuko had been tempted to do the same, but he wasn't sure he could fight against them all when they would surely try to protect their precious Avatar.

"That's enough for today." Zuko sighed, and a very happy Avatar bowed, muttered something that strangely sounded like 'sifu hotman', and went to play with his friends. The frustrated fire bender ran his hands through his hair and stared at the ground. That was the key word that rang through his head. The Avatar was playing. He was going through the motions, as he'd thought before. It still didn't seem real to the Avatar, the enormous responsibility placed upon his shoulders.

Then again, it was how the air nomads worked. It was plainly visible in their fighting style. Block the thrust, send a gush of air to the feet, jump over the enemy, and knock the opponent unconscious with their staff.

That was what the Avatar was doing, and it all began to take shape in his head. Sitting down on the edge of the fountain at the ledge of the temple, he stared at the group of people gathered around a small fire the Avatar had started. Everyone congratulated him and seemed proud because the young monk managed to start a fire without burning everything around him.

It gave him some sort of insight about the dynamics of the group before him. They all cuddled him, save for the blind Earthbender, and yet she still congratulated him when feeling the heat. The monk was the most powerful of them all, the one with the most weight placed upon his shoulder and there they were, cuddling him and praising him for something Zuko had known how to do after learning how to walk.

It angered him. How could such a small unit of misfits managed to evade him and the full might of the Fire Nation for so long? How had they managed to not get fried by Azula?

What a mystery. He wished he had Uncle Iroh by his side so he could ask the questions he was dying to ask. Deep shame ran through his back and a cold feeling settled in his stomach. He forced the memories of the only family he had left and focused back. He wasn't a good judge of character, and he'd messed up badly in the past; but he was good at predicting what would happen. After all, he had managed to survive the years of exile and growing up next to Azula.

He fixed his eyes on the people gathered around the fire, clowning around and pretending to be a family. The last air bender, the water peasant, the peasant brother of the water bender, the father of the siblings, the blind Earthbender, the Kyoshi warrior; a bunch of kids he had never seen and couldn't remember their names, even if his life depended on it, and an escapee of the Boiling Rock.

What was wrong with the picture?

Two seconds later it clicked. There were two adults in the picture. Two adults: one of them was the leader of a small water tribe. He remembered said village as not being larger than the private garden where Azula liked to torture turtle ducks and the other was a criminal.

The rest of them were children. The fate of the world depended on children. He wasn't that far from being a child, but he was certain they had not seen what he had seen. That they had not done what he had done. His years in the sea had made him see things in himself and in those around him that had surprised him. There were things he and his crew had done that didn't make him proud, but that was when he thought he was on a very important mission and that he could end the war by giving his father the Avatar dead or alive.

Shaking his head and trying not to dwell too much on his past and his own traumatized inner self, he tried to come up with an idea of what would happen next. Endless questions arose on his mind but there were some that weighed more on the large scale.

Had they been in a real war? He'd seen them fight the Northern water tribe, and on the day of the eclipse, and he wasn't sure what they thought of the battles. The Northern tribe had been saved but only because the Avatar became possessed or had used what they sometimes referred to as the 'avatar state', something that they all spoke of in hushed whispers when they thought he wasn't listening.

The day of the eclipse, they had been all but obliterated.

His hands, still clasped around his hair, closed hard and he pulled at it. He'd been alone with the Fire Lord in his chambers. He had managed to finally redirect lightning against his father, no less, relieving himself of the burdens and the traumas he associated with his father and what had he done?

He had run. He'd escaped and avoided his responsibilities once again. He had two swords and he could have ended Fire Lord Ozai's reign. It would have been one less enemy to fight against. Now what did he have? Children and two adults that weren't entirely reliable.

Zuko closed his eyes. It seemed opportunities were always presenting themselves to him and he always made the wrong choices.

Too many wrong choices. Too damn many.

Not that he craved the blood of his father on his hands, but he had decided he would do anything to help the Avatar end the war. He'd had his chance and what had he done? He had delivered a boring speech, revealed the hidden ace under his sleeve, and placed as much distance between the enemy and himself.

But not all seemed to be lost, as a crazy idea ran through his head. Maybe there was still hope. Maybe he could still fix all the mistakes of his life. Maybe he could do it right for once.

The laughter of children made its way to his ears; children who he fully realized would not be able to match the cruelty or the power of the entire Fire Nation against them. And with Sozin's comet drawing closer, he was sure such a small unit could never stop the Fire Lord.

The idea began to take more shape in his head, as the laughter began to get carried away by the wind. He would have to be stronger than before: manage to recover the anger and passion and try to mix it with the lessons of the two last dragons.

Standing up from his lonely spot, Zuko dared one long look at the group in the distance. As usual, Katara's blue eyes met his, and he saw the fire in them he had lost. Feeling suicidal, he grinned at her. It had the desired effect, as she frowned. A genuine smile appeared on his face as he turned around, wondering what was wrong between the two of them.

He went to sleep still with the smile on his lips. He wanted to be fully rested in the morning.

It would be a long day.

**End of Chapter.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**A/N:** Part two of the series. Thanks again to Rosey. If there's any mistake here in spelling and grammar, blame her, not me.

Ok. Received four reviews in less than 24 hours and they pointed some very important mistakes. Thank you very much, I have changed what was wrong and re-posted it.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar…, belongs to Nickelodeon.

**The Journey Begins**

A light breeze carried the scent of early morning into Zuko's nostrils, causing a frown to appear on his calm face, and slowly forced sleep away from the Firebender.

Trained, or more likely forced, to awaken quickly, the former prince opened his eyes and quietly paid attention to the details around him. The air still carried a bit of moist, meaning it was very early.

His people, indeed, rose with the sun, which was one of the things that actually worried him about his plan. Slowly but swiftly, Zuko rose and gathered his meager possessions. He was not a vain young man, but he missed all the resources at his disposal, and he even missed the mask he'd worn during the worst months of his life.

Shaking his head and knowing he had very little time until the other fire bender woke up, he quickly secured his few things into his bag, tied it; and very much like a shadow, walked the lengths of the air temple.

He wished he could tell them what he was doing and why he was doing it. At some point during night, he'd woken up, fearing the earth bender's abilities would get him caught, but he had managed to sneak past her before, when he'd joined Sokka on that crazy rescue mission that had almost gotten them killed.

His mind and thoughts were clear, but there was still something troubling him. Every member of the dysfunctional family of benders had somehow accepted him, save for the blue-eyed water bender. It was something that bothered him on a primal level but it also amused him, even though he couldn't understand it and didn't like the implications of such emotions.

There was something he had to do about it, and if he was honest with himself, he needed to do it. The very success of his mission depended on it. He'd faced enormous risk before. He'd faced the avatar at his best and he'd survived. He'd been trained by the Dragon of the West and had fought the best fire benders in the world and lived to talk about it.

Another smile appeared on his face as he got ready to show bravery in the face of certain doom ; just like every other day.

--

Aang was usually the second one to wake up. Due to his training as a monk, he usually didn't need more than four or five hours of sleep, but since he had never been one to follow tradition, he liked to just stay still and enjoy the act of doing absolutely nothing.

He liked to feel the air currents running through his skin, through his clothes, the unique way he could feel the air that entered his body through his nose, how the smallest parts of it mixed with his blood and ran all through his veins.

It was wonderful being an air bender, but his thoughts soon turned sour when he remembered he was the last air bender.

But as it was, dire thoughts didn't linger long in the mind of a twelve year old, and he closed his yes and tried to enjoy peace as much as it would last.

A shrill sound of pure fury interrupted his peace, and he furrowed his head as deep as he could in Appa's fur, trying to block the offending sound. It proved useless, because the same sound had woken Appa and Momo as well, and the avatar knew very well that he would not be able to enjoy peace if both his pets woke up.

Rubbing his eyes, Aang focused on the sound which had probably woken all the other members of his group, and he guessed Zuko had done something that bothered Katara. Those two were the ones who always woke up first, and it was eerily strange how they knew how to get on each other's nerves.

Sighing and enjoying the air traveling through his body with every breath, he jumped to where the noise was louder.

"What did you do this time, sifu hotman?" Aang asked to himself as he got ready to diffuse another tense situation between the water bender and the fire bender.

--

"Zuko did what?!" Aang asked, genuinely surprised.

Gathered around him, the members of his made-up family looked awkwardly at each other and tried to avoid Katara's eyes, which were as cold as two pieces of ice.

"He. Took. My. Mother's. Necklace. Again." She slowly pronounced each word, with venom and anger dripping from every syllable. "And then he ran away. Again."

Aang looked around, and everyone seemed to be as uncomfortable as he was. They were all beginning to learn to trust Zuko and then he went and did something like this. And it seemed strange. Even though they weren't very accepting of the fire bender at first, Zuko had slowly earned his place amongst them. He was a very good teacher to Aang-- a good source of help for Sokka when rescuing Hakoda and Suki. He'd never heard any complains between Toph and him. The other kids merely stayed out of his way, but didn't seem weary of him.

The only one who was openly hostile towards Zuko was Katara, and it seemed like this was the way the fire bender had laughed the last laugh.

"Are you sure? I mean, are you sure he took it" Aang asked, still needing the need to fix every problem. "Maybe you just misplaced it."

The two lumps of ice that were Katara's eyes turned towards Aang, and suddenly the avatar felt very, very small.

"We're also not sure he's gone." Sokka said, and all eyes turned towards him. It was strange that he was actually saying something that could be interpreted as support towards Zuko.

"Oh, he's gone." Toph said. "Can't feel his steps anywhere around."

"Are you sure?" Katara asked; her voice still cold.

"As sure as I'm blind." Toph replied. "Each and every one of you has a distinct way of walking. That's how I recognize each and every one of you. Zuko is nowhere around."

"How much of an advantage do you think he has over us?" Katara asked.

"Uh, guys?" Pipsqueak carefully interrupted. "I think he's way ahead of us by now."

"How do you know?" Sokka asked.

"You remember that Fire Nation air machine you brought?" Pipsqueak answered. No more words needed to be said as Sokka slapped his forehead.

"Where do you think he's gone to?" Aang asked, still not willing to believe that Zuko had abandoned them.

"Oh, who knows?" Katara said, as a bit of sadness began to mingle into her anger. "Maybe he went back to that sociopath he calls sister, or that madman he calls father."

"I don't think so." Sokka said, hoping his sister wouldn't send a shard of ice through his lungs for speaking up. "When we rescued Suki and Dad it didn't seem he was on good terms with his sister, or his sister's friends, or his girlfriend. Well, ex-girlfriend now."

Katara's eyes did burn, but in a different way altogether.

"He had a girlfriend?" Aang voiced the question that everyone else had been thinking about. Even Toph seemed surprised.

"Yeah." Sokka placed his hand under his chin, "Remember that tall dark haired chick, with a bothered expression, who threw forks at us? That's the one."

"Oh, so he went back to psycho number two, then." Katara said. "Well, good riddance!"

"I still don't think he went back to them; and please don't kill me with water down my nostrils!" Sokka said, covering his nose. When he was sure Katara wouldn't try to assassinate him, he uncovered his face and spoke again.

"When we left the burning rock, that girl and the other one, who could bend like rubber, actually helped us escape." Sokka explained. "So I guess it's a big no-no to think he went back to her."

"This leaves us back on square one, kids." Hakoda of the water tribe spoke. Next to him stood the fire bender who had escaped with them days before, and it seemed he was as anxious as they to end Fire Lord's Ozai reign.

"What do you mean, Dad?" asked Katara, curious as to why everyone was offering their point of view when it was obvious Zuko had gone back to his old ways. "There is no square one. He stole my mother's necklace and left. Again."

"What troubles you more, dear?" Hakoda asked. "That he took your necklace or that he left?"

"Huh?" Katara was surprised, and she instinctively sought the piece of cloth around her neck. Finding nothing, she made two fists and held them tightly against her legs.

"It's just that he has done this before." she said, her jaw beginning to hurt due to how tense she was. "When we were held prisoners on the caves of Ba Sing Se, we--uh-- began talking."

"Talking? That's why you were so close when I found you?" Aang asked, a bit of jealousy creeping into his voice when remembering the distance between the fire bender and Katara that time.

"Uh, yes." Katara nodded. "We had just shared a moment. That was all. I was wondering if the special water I have could heal his scar."

"Hah! Could you imagine Zuko without that giant scar?" Sokka asked. Dead silence answered him, and Suki patted his arm trying to comfort him.

"And?" Aang asked, having been curious as to what had happened if he hadn't interrupted, what seemed to be, an intimate moment between those two.

"And then you and General Iroh arrived." Katara continued "You set us free, and twenty minutes later you were fighting both Zuko and Azula. You know what happened next."

"It wasn't pretty twinkle toes." Toph said. "Or so I'm told. What I know is that I could barely feel your heartbeat for the next week after that."

"Do you believe the reason your friend Zuko left is similar to what happened before?" Hakoda asked.

"He's not our friend, and he just proved it." Katara coldly said. "And I don't know why he left, but I know one thing."

She turned to look at everyone gathered around her, and noticed when Toph realized what she meant before she spoke.

"Zuko left, and knows where we are."

--

The aforementioned, former crown prince was having trouble; wind trouble. That meant he was alone trying to control a flying machine much larger than the small device he'd taken when leaving home.

He was not a fool, but he'd seen Sokka and his father do most of the navigation; and even the Kyoshi warrior seemed to know more than he did regarding the flying device.

Now, alone, and flying without direction, he seemed to reconsider what he was doing and wondered if he had not been too rash.

He looked then at the blue stone wrapped around his left wrist and all confidence returned to him. If he had survived on his own for so long, he could surely manage to control the flying contraption.

A sudden sound of metal grinding and hot air escaping made him reconsider, and his confidence dropped as fast as the machine did.

Gripping the rail as hard as he could, he thought of his mother, of the long list of things he still had to do; and before the machine crashed against the forest below, he thought of blue eyes.

**End of chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3  
**  
**A/N:** A somewhat short part 3 of the series. Thanks again to Rosey for the corrections.

**Disclaimer:** Story and characters belong to Nickelodeon.

**Shadow Puppets**

The impact against the forest beneath wasn't deadly for Zuko, but it did knock him out unconscious for some time. His mind already working overtime before the crash, ideas and hallucinations took control of it for the time being.

The things he had been unable to understand before seemed to come together as pieces of a puzzle. For a long time he had not understood why Uncle Iroh had joined him in exile. Now his mind told him that Iroh felt as out of place as he did. Maybe his uncle felt exiled ever since the events in Ba Sing Se and the death of his only son.

Maybe the old Dragon of the West was tired of the Fire Nation and what was happening in there. And maybe Iroh saw in Zuko parts of his lost son and didn't want the Crown Prince to go through the same events that led to Lu Ten's death.

That explained why Uncle Iroh had accompanied him in exile. Doubt number one had been explained. Uncle Iroh felt a connection with him, and could probably connect with Zuko's plight. Uncle Iroh felt he had failed his country and was stripped of his birthright; Zuko felt he had failed his father and was also stripped of his birthright and exiled.

Uncle Iroh loved him. Zuko could accept that now that he was unconscious. It was something that he hadn't felt worthy of for a long time. He was still very ashamed of several things he'd done, but he felt he was doing what he could to deal with those feelings and go ahead with his life.

The first part of the puzzle in his mind finally formed and the image of his Uncle appeared in the blank void his mind had provided.

Zuko's next source of confusion was his ex-girlfriend, Mai. For so long, he could only remember her as the sulky friend of Azula. There had been something between the two of them since they were children, and Azula had preyed on that. He remembered several humiliating situations where Azula had used the nascent crush between him and Mai to torment them.

Pieces that were becoming Mai's puzzle stopped when other pieces appeared. Zuko's mind knew those pieces would become Azula, but he still wasn't ready for that. He focused back on Mai.

Questions ran unfocused all over the blank space that had formed to accommodate the puzzles. Why did she love him? What part of him did she like?

Running a quick inner scrutiny he found several things he didn't like about himself, and truly wondered what it was about him that she was attracted to.

Could it be that she found a kindred spirit in him? That he was scarred on the outside and she was scarred on the inside? His mind paused for a moment and predicted she had to be a bit of a psychopath if she was one of Azula's closest friends.

Maybe that was it. He represented what she felt inside. He was physically scarred, easily provoked, followed his instincts and was tempered by his passion. He was the complete opposite of the physically beautiful, extremely cool and quiet Mai. It seemed that the only time she had followed her instincts he had left her behind to face Azula's wrath.

That was it. She also loved him and had also become another traitor in order to help him. The pieces came together and the image of Mai appeared.

There they stood, Iroh and Mai, two people he was now sure loved him. That took the number of people who loved him to an astonishing three.

The third one was easy for his mind to piece together. The image of Fire Lady Ursa appeared almost effortlessly. It was a bit blurry because it had been so long since the last time he had seen his mother. He wasn't sure if she was still alive, and his father's taunts had only poured salt on a wound he thought was closed.

More doubts began to surface. Why had his mother left? And why had she left the night his grandfather had died?

With no distractions, and nowhere to run, his mind quickly came up with explanations. Maybe Azula's taunts had beenreal and his grandfather had demanded his life because of Ozai's lack of respect. Maybe his mother had come up with a plan to spare Zuko's life and guard his future. With Azulon dead, Iroh disgraced and on the other side of the world, Ozai would become Fire Lord without a doubt.

And that meant Zuko would become Crown Prince and heir to the throne. He would in time become Fire Lord, the position that was meant for Lu Ten.

It clicked. His mother probably had assisted his father in getting rid of Fire Lord Azulon, saving his life in the process, and providing him with a great future.

Three people who loved him had sacrificed something dear for him. Iroh sacrificed his time and liberty for him. Mai sacrificed her privileged status and freedom for him. His mother had taken a life and sacrificed her freedom and her identity for him.

Self-sacrifice, the thing that bid those three people together made him think of his father and his sister. Self sacrifice was the clue that had eluded him for so long. It was what was expected of him, and he understood it clearly then.

Zuko opened his eyes, and realized he was now conscious, because he ached all over. He didn't remember the crash, but he did remember the process of thought he had undergone while unconscious, and it all seemed clear now.

His bones hurting and his muscles protesting, he slowly stood up. Looking around, he figured out he had gained at least one day; should the Avatar and his friends give chase to him.  
He glanced at the flying device and knew it was totaled. Perhaps it was for the best; it was hard to lay low using that flamboyant machine.

Shaking his head, he sighed. He now knew what he had to do, and whom he needed to make it happen.

It was all about sacrifices. Three had been done already in his name. Gathering his scattered belongings, he began walking without direction, but with a firm purpose. Looking up he made a quick mental calculation and figured he had about three or four months, at the most, to get it done. What had begun as an idea, was slowly becoming a plan. Zuko smiled as the gears in his head began to slowly place the pieces in order once again.

He sighed, already having figured out what he was supposed to do in the end. Yet, he couldn't do it alone; and he couldn't ask the Avatar and his still innocent friends to help him. He guessed he had joined them in time to realize what the entire Fire Nation had not been able to. The Avatar was not the all powerful force of nature they all feared. He was just a simple boy who wished nothing but peace and enjoyment. And in a way it was fair. From what he'd heard, all avatars before him had their inheritance revealed well into their teens; and Aang was just a boy.

It would be hard to ask a boy – a carefree boy- to murder a man in cold blood to stop a war. And after asking that boy to murder a man, place the burden on him to maintain the fragile peace that would spawn from the murder.

Zuko rubbed his eyes. He had really screwed up in Ba Sing Se and, later on, when leaving the Fire Nation. He could have aided the children then and taken down Azula. He could have at least injured his father the last time they faced each other. He had confused his duty, and he had confused the source of his power. Coldness and cruelness fueled Azula's and his father's powers. Control and passion fueled his uncle's. He was still in time to learn which side he'd choose to improve his own power.

Because he needed that raw power; he wanted that power; to finally contribute something to the endless war his family had started.

It was time for him to do his share.

**End of Chapter.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4  
**

**A/N:** Chapter four of the series. One more time, thanks to Rosey for the corrections. Some other mistakes were pointed out in this chapter and I'm reposting it again.

**Disclaimer:** Characters belong to Nickelodeon.

**Ying and Yang  
**  
Tension was palpable in the air as the core members of the small family the Avatar had made for himself flew atop Appa. As usual, Aang was on his place on top of Appa's head, leading the noble animal on their quest.

The two siblings, Sokka and Katara, were perched on the sides of Appa's saddle, looking for any sign of the flying machine Zuko had taken away.

Toph, as usual, was holding tight to Sokka's arm. She had volunteered to tag along on their small rescue/capture unit, but was still very much afraid to fly onboard Appa. The feeling of being completely blind was not something she was used to, and doubted she would ever be.

"How far away do you think he is now?" Katara asked, trying to dissolve the ever increasing tension.

"Don't know." Sokka truthfully answered.

"Are we even flying in the right direction?" Katara asked again, feeling frustration taking the best of her.

"This is the one most likely." Sokka replied. "When we were together on the other small flying machine, Zuko only knew how to use the basic controls. The other model was a bit larger, and I don't think Zuko is that smart when it comes to these flying things."

"He would have to follow air currents." Aang yelled back at them. "We're following the strongest current now. It's the best we can do for now."

"I still don't think Sparky is going to betray us." Toph said, unconsciously tightening her grip on Sokka's arm.

"You once supported him," Katara snapped, "and he burned your feet. Are you going to listen to us this time?"

"So you're saying he came to us, trained Aang, helped rescue your father, and put up with all your insults just to betray us?" Toph spat back. "It just seems so convoluted, don't you think?"

"You don't know Zuko like I do." Katara said, and immediately corrected. "Like we do."

"I don't know, sis." Sokka shook his head. "He seemed all too eager to please us and work with Aang. He was even more willing to please you than anybody else."

Both Aang and Katara bristled when hearing Sokka's words, but both didn't know how to respond to that.

"Let's just keep looking." Aang finally said. "We must be in the right direction. I'm almost certain."

Zuko kept walking amidst the unknown forest. He should have given more thought to what he was doing. It was ridiculous and stupid of him to not have brought a bag of water with him. And it was even more ridiculous that he was unable to find water in the middle of a forest. He wished he had his uncle with him. The Dragon of the West had an uncanny ability to make the best of a worst situation.

Zuko sighed and wished that was a genetic trait. Perhaps it was; he had been able to survive on his own for a couple months and had survived against several enemies. For a moment he wondered if everyone in the world had as many enemies as he did or if it was another peculiarity of his family.

Feeling frustration and anger well up on him, he tried to get the 'feel' of his power as he did before. He had to learn how to create lightning, not only redirect it, if he wanted to have a shot at defeating his family. He focused and tried to remember what his uncle had said long ago. The combination of positive and negative energies had to be created inside of him, and then just direct it and channel the power out.

Or something like that.

He had to give it a shot, literally, if he wanted to be ready in the next month. According to his mental calculations, he had short of a month to learn how to manipulate lightning, another month to get his plan working, and a last month to find his uncle and polish his technique.

And he needed that extra month to grovel and beg for his uncle's forgiveness. The man had been the father he'd never had, and he had betrayed and disappointed him. It still made him feel miserable, but he hoped all those feelings would help him regain the violent part of his power.

He wanted; needed to make a try for it, but he remembered the first time he had tried to create lightning. The resulting explosion had been painful and he had made a mess of the place he'd been standing on. Yet the need to learn was becoming more and more important as time passed by. When Sozin's comet appeared, every fire bender in the world would be powerful as hell and the world would belong to the Fire Nation.

It also meant his uncle's powers and his as well, would largely increase; but that also meant Azula and his father would become an even greater problem.

He shook his head. It was as if he was swimming against the current and there were several obstacles in his way; and it didn't matter how hard he tried, he always seemed to end on the wrong side.

Zuko sighed and stopped walking. He didn't know where to go at first, and didn't want to reveal his position. He had no idea how long he had been unconscious but he guessed at least a couple of hours. Knowing the Avatar, he wouldn't want to leave the temple, but he was sure the water bender peasant had other ideas.

He looked again at his wrist and admired the carved rock. It was a fine piece of work, and from what he'd gathered, it was an engagement gift.

Had someone given it to the blue eyed water bender? If so, was there someone insane enough to want that girl as a wife?

But the question that was the most important and made his head ache was: why had he taken the necklace? Was he suicidal or had heonly wanted to bother the water bender?  
Or had he wanted her to remember him, even in a negative way?

Zuko shook his head again and grunted. He was still confused about Mai and he didn't want to think about the blue eyes he saw when he closed his eyes. He also didn't want to think about the bond that had begun to form between the children and him.

He liked Sokka; the boy was fun and was extremely smart, and had even made him smile on occasion. The Avatar was very much a fun child to be around; also clever. However, it was clear thathe was more focused on having fun than learning how to save the world. Toph was also fun to be around. Her sarcastic remarks made him think of how Azula could have been had she been a normal child, instead of the psychopath intent on murdering him.

And Katara; the mother figure of the group, it seemed she was the glue that kept the impromptu family together. She took care of them all and always had a kind word for everyone.  
Save for him, of course, but he was the enemy in her eyes.

Zuko sighed. He began walking again, with no idea where he was headed and no idea how long it would take him to get there. He was thirsty and slowly building a very bad mood.  
He kept walking, since it was all he could do. He had to walk until the wind changed, because he was sure the Avatar was following the air currents he'd seized when operating the flying machine. He guessed Sokka had already told them he wasn't very adept at managing the contraption, and wouldn't be able to change course even if his life depended on it.

It was only a matter of time before they found the crashed machine and follow him. He'd done his best at covering his tracks, but he knew how good the earth bender was, and it wouldn't work if they tracked and found him.

He stopped again. He looked around. It seemed he was far now from the car crash and was feeling more and more impatient.

Zuko lowered his bag and his swords, placing them against a tree. He walked away from his meager possessions and kneeled, trying to calm down enough and meditate.

After ten minutes of silence, he stood up, trying to remember both sides of his power. He struggled to recall the sensation of power anger had given him. The frustration he was feeling was fuel enough, and he focused on that, on all his failures, on all his shame, on the anger he felt towards his family and everyone who had hurt him.

The surge of power did not surprise him, but the flow of it was completely different from how the dragons had shown him. It didn't matter. He wanted to use anger to destroy something and the power was coursing through him.

The flames came easy, as easy as they had before his confusion had diminished his power. After practicing the basic moves, he stopped and knelt down again. He had used power brought forth from anger, and now needed to use the power that came from inner peace. He took deep breaths and relaxed, closed his eyes and saw in his mind's eye the dance of the dragons.

Slowly, without opening his eyes, he stood up and followed the rhythm; the flow of energy once again came, but it was calmer, more refined.

Finishing the dance, he opened his eyes and saw the small amount of destruction he had caused. It was now or never, he had created an ugly scar on the forest and was sure he'd have to make a run for it as soon as he finished.

Zuko erased such thoughts from his mind; distractions were the last thing he needed at the moment. He took a couple of deep breaths and tried to imagine the flow of his energies on his mind. Anger was an easy source, but he had to keep balance. It was an ugly flow, with no shape and no defined direction. Then he imagined the flow of the dancing dragon, a clear and defined flow circled in his mind. It was hard, trying to connect both flows and give them the shape he wanted.

It was hard, and he could feel his blood boiling. Zuko tried a different approach; remembering how his uncle once taught him about the different tribes, the image of the symbol for the water tribe appeared on his mind.

Iroh had drawn the symbol in a continuous flow, which was also the basis for the technique of redirecting lightning. That was how he tried to imagine the energy flow in his mind, similar to the water tribe symbol. It was hard, but the circle seemed to slowly appear, and the energy coursing through his body seemed to heat up instantly.

Positive and negative, he recalled again, so one of the circles forcibly had to flow in one direction and the other in the opposite.

The strain increased, and the heat in his body continued to grow. He had never felt so much energy coming out of his body, but he had to control it, or else he would only succeed in creating an explosion. Sweat formed on his brow, yet he remained focused on his task. The circles in his mind began to move in the direction he wanted them to, but pain began to run through his arms. He remembered what his uncle had said, about not running the flow of energy through his heart, but through his stomach. The energy was slowly building in his body and it sought release. Zuko opened his eyes and looked for a target. A solitary stone caught his eye and he struggled to stand up, controlling the power now surging out of his pores. The two circles in his mind were spinning madly now, and he guessed he only had to imagine the flow as lightning.

Remembering the pose his uncle had taken, he began moving his arms, trying to send one flow to his right arm and the other to his left. The energy began moving, and he struggled to maintain the power in his stomach, away from his heart.

Sparkles began to appear on his fingers, and his heartbeat increased. Moving like his uncle, he continued moving his arms, and he then felt the tingle of electricity in his hands. A rare smile appeared on his face, and he finally released all the power, trying to direct it towards the rock.

Lighting, indeed, appeared from his right arm, but the power proved to be too much. It was not a single bolt like he'd seen his father, or Azula, create. It was a mass of energy, crackling and bolting all the way, trying to find its own direction.

Zuko struggled to direct it, but it was too much power. Releasing his breath, he shouted and let it all go. He felt his arms go numb and the bolt shot straight towards the nearest tree, shattering it and reducing it to a smoldering pile of ashes.

At the same time, the former crown prince fell down, thankfully unconscious and not feeling pain at all.

Far away, Aang felt the currents of wind shift an instant before he heard the explosion. The other three occupants on board Appa turned to the direction the sound came from. Smoke rose quickly to the sky and neither of them had to speak to realize their quarry was close.

Aang turned his flying bison in that direction and a certain sense of nervousness overcame him. If that was Zuko, had he been on a fight? Or had the explosion been caused by the fire bender? Neither of both possibilities appealed to him, and he dared a quick glance behind to see how his friends had reacted to the explosion.

"Doesn't look good, Aang." Sokka quietly said. Toph nodded.

"It didn't sound good as well." The blind earth bender said. "That was one hell of an explosion."

"Katara?" Aang asked, not being able to read the expression on Katara's face.

"Just go there, Aang." The water bender softly replied. Aang nodded and maintained course.

Two shadows appeared over Zuko's unconscious body. The owner of one of them kneeled in front of Zuko and placed a hand over the prince's heart.

"It's still beating." The person said. The other individual nodded.

"Let's take him, then." The second person said. "And don't forget his things."

Minutes later, Appa landed in the midst of the destruction caused by Zuko. They hopped down from Appa's saddle and looked around. There seemed to be no trace of the fire bender, and the smoke in the air was confusing Toph's acute senses.

"Anything at all, Toph?" Aang asked as he used a quick rush of air to extinguish the lingering flames and smoke.

"Nothing at all." Toph replied. "I can't feel any steps, save from a couple of animals running from this place, I suppose."

"Damn." Katara muttered. "So that's it? There's nothing here that can help us at all?"

"I'm afraid not, Princess." Toph replied. "There's too much smoke and ashes in the air to smell something, and I can't feel any steps nearby."

The tension reappeared and they all unconsciously took a step away from Katara.

She, on the other hand, had taken steps to where Zuko's body had laid down minutes earlier. With clenched fists, she struggled to contain the tears of frustration from falling down her face.

"Where are you, Zuko?" She whispered. "Where are you?"

**End of Chapter**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5  
**  
**A/N:** Part 5 of the series. Thanks to Rosey for the corrections.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar…, belongs to Nickelodeon.

**White Flowers  
**  
"It's your turn to carry him now."

The man carrying Zuko carefully placed him on the arms of his companion.

"I don't understand why we had to get him." The other man said, struggling with Zuko's dead weight over his shoulder. "The last thing I heard of him was that he betrayed his family and his country."

"People do strange things on behalf of their countries." The first man replied. "Others do strange things for love. Have you seen what's hanging on his wrist?"

"What do you…?" The man did not finish his question when his eyes fell on Zuko's mentioned wrist. "That pendant…"

"So you recognize it. Does it come from your tribe?"

The man carrying Zuko dropped him suddenly, and kneeled quickly to take a closer look at the pendant.

"It can't be…"

"What is it, Pakku?" The first man asked.

"This necklace, this pendant…" Master Pakku didn't think it was possible, but there it was, right before his eyes. "It's the pendant I carved; a long time ago, for the woman I loved. Why is this Fire Nation traitor wearing it? It's Katara's pendant, Jeong Jeong!"

"Katara? The water bender who walks with the Avatar? Are you sure?" Jeong Jeong asked.

"Yes. I carved this pendant and I trained her. I'm very sure this is her necklace." Master Pakku said. "This doesn't belong in the arm of a fire bender."

"He has a name, Pakku." Jeong Jeong mentioned. "I'm certain I have never called you 'water bender', have I?"

Master Pakku hesitated, and lifted his head to make eye contact with his companion.

"This necklace is the only proof of the love I once had, and lost because of my pride." Pakku said. "This young man is the son of the man who is months away from killing us all. I refuse to let him wear this necklace!"

"He must have his reasons." Jeong Jeong said. "If you take the pendant from him now it would be like stealing. Let him awaken, and then we'll ask him why he's wearing it."

"It's my pendant, Jeong Jeong." Pakku said through gritted teeth.

"He's wearing it now." The fire bender replied. "We're wasting time. I should have never pointed it out."

"Yet you did. This necklace belongs to a water bender. Last I heard, Zuko is a fire bender." Pakku roughly said. "Whatever, I'll take it now."

As Pakku's hands closed around Zuko's wrist, the unconscious prince reached out with his other hand and gripped the water bender's appendage.

"What do you think you're doing?" Zuko weakly asked.

"Taking what's mine." Pakku growled. "You stole this pendant."

"How I got it is none of your business." Zuko said, coughing a bit. "Now let go of it before I burn your arm off."

"Calm down, both of you." Jeong Jeong said. "This is neither the time nor the moment to fight. Pakku, you will let him go; and you, Crown Prince, will later explain why you are in the possession of something that is not yours."

"I do not owe explanations to any of you." Zuko growled; his voice weak but steady. "Who are you? Where am I?"

"Let go of my hand, and we'll tell you everything." Pakku said; his voice as grim as Zuko's.

Zuko coughed again but did let go of Pakku's hand. He tried to stand, but everything ached and he felt dizzy immediately.

"Do not try to stand, Prince Zuko." Jeong Jeong said. "I don't know what you tried to do back there, but you almost killed yourself."

"You know who I am." Zuko stated.

"It's not that hard to recognize you." Pakku said as he rubbed his wrist. "The scar your father gave you is infamous."

"Pakku!" Jeong Jeong interrupted. "Fire is not as benevolent as water! Prince Zuko could have burned your hand straight to the bone if he had wanted to. Show some restraint and respect!"

"Very well." Pakku said. "But when we reach our camp, I demand to know why you're wearing that necklace."

"There's only one person I believe can demand ownership of this pendant." Zuko sighed as he tried once again to stand. "And she's not here. So you can take your demands elsewhere."

"Prince Zuko, please." Jeong Jeong said. "It is commonly known that your mouth has gotten you in deep trouble. I suggest you do not continue that tradition. Pakku, should you continue this, I will show you how wild fire can be."

"There will be no need." Pakku said. "It seems your young prince can stand now. We should get moving."

"He's right." Jeong Jeong said to Zuko. "If you're strong enough to make insults, I guess you're strong enough to walk."

"Whatever." Zuko said as he finally stood. "Who are you, and why do you keep calling me 'prince'?"

"I was once a general in your father's army." Jeong Jeong answered. "You are Fire Lord Ozai's son. You will always be the prince of the Fire Nation."

"Don't feel much like a prince, now." Zuko said. "What happened?"

"Let's get moving, Prince Zuko." Jeong Jeong replied. "We will tell you everything as we walk."

Zuko looked around, not recognizing where he was, but feeling oddly safe with the two older men. He nodded as he stretched his arm and opened the palm of his hand.  
"My belongings, please." Zuko said. "I'd feel much safer carrying them myself."

Pakku turned to look at Jeong Jeong, who merely nodded.

"Suit yourself, Prince Zuko." Jeong Jeong said as he handed Zuko his bag.

"And my swords?" Zuko asked.

"You have my pendant; I'll keep your swords." Pakku said as he began walking away. "Should you want to trade, just say it."

Zuko took deep breaths. He was still feeling extremely weak and didn't know exactly where he was standing. He kept quiet and began walking next to them.

----------------------------------------------

Back in the Air Temple, Aang and the others were telling of their failed rescue attempt; which, according to the others in the temple, was more likely a capture mission.

"And that was it?" Suki asked. "An explosion and then nothing?"

"There were no traces to follow." Sokka replied. "Nothing after that large explosion; which by the way, we don't know what, or who, caused it."

"Probably Zuko." Katara growled. "He's good at hiding his tracks."

"And yet we have always managed to find him before." Sokka said. "We found him in the North Pole, and we will find him now."

"We found him because of Aang." Katara said. "After that, it was him who kept finding us."

"And that brings us to the first question." Toph said. "If he went through so much to finally find us, why did he leave now?"

"Ahh, Toph, you're still a rookie regarding Zuko and his strange antics." Sokka said."What he does is a mystery. Why he does it; only he knows. Where he will show up next; no one knows."

**  
**"Riiight… and that makes so much sense." Toph sarcastically replied. "Seriously, besides princess' abuse, there seems to be no reason to make him leave, is there?"

"Hey! I did not abuse him!" Katara angrily remarked. "What he got is what he deserved!"

"Girls, girls, enough." Aang said, rubbing his head. "We're not going to get anywhere if we keep fighting over this. There is something more important now that was brought to our attention. We don't know why Zuko left, but he happens to know where we are, and how to get here. We should be discussing what to do about that."

"It's clear, actually." Hakoda, who had been silent for most of the time, finally spoke. "We should leave this place as soon as possible. Even if Zuko isn't willing to betray us, he could be forced to talk under extreme circumstances."

"If he's taken into the Boiling Rock, I don't know." Chit Sang said. "I was there for a long time. They have their ways to make someone talk."

"We're just avoiding the main problem." Hakoda sighed. "We have to leave this place as soon as possible. Regroup and then decide what to do about your friend Zuko."

"It's clear what we have to do." Katara said. "We have to find him as soon as possible."

"As soon as we leave this place I don't think that would be the wisest thing to do." Hakoda shook his head. "Our main concern is to lay low. Looking for him would be getting too close to the flames-literally."

"And that's it?" Katara asked. "We just let him get away?"

"He left, Katara." Hakoda said. "He wasn't taken or kidnapped, or anything remotely similar to that. If what you're worried about is your mother's necklace, then you'll have to wait and see what happens. He's a fugitive from the Fire Nation. That leaves very few places where he can hide. And you seem to know him better than the rest of us. Where do you think he would go to?"

"Oh, that's an easy one." Katara said; and she smiled for the first time in hours. "He would go looking for his uncle."

After what seemed like hours of walking, Zuko was certain he was at his limit. At first he was still feeling the aftereffects of what he'd tried to do, but the pain was becoming unbearable. His left arm was killing him and he was sure there would be a massive burn in his right leg. He had failed in his first attempt, and yet he was smiling. He had been unable to direct lightning, but he had managed to create it. It was a rather large step from the first time, when he had only been able to create small explosions.

"We're almost there." Jeong Jeong said. "Just a bit more, Prince Zuko."

"We've been walking almost all day." Zuko replied, short of breath. "Can't we rest for a moment?"

"Stop complaining, your highness." Pakku said. "We carried you most of the morning. I'm certain you can keep going on for a little more."

"I'm not complaining, water peasant." Zuko almost hissed. "I just want to know where we're going, or even rest for a little while."

"We can't rest, Prince Zuko." Jeong Jeong patiently said. "We don't know if we're being followed or how long we have before we're actually being followed."

"Followed? Who would want to follow us?" Zuko asked.

"What about the entire Fire Nation?" Pakku asked. "What about the rest of the world who hates you and your family?"

"You're known as a traitor, Prince Zuko." Jeong Jeong said. "Your uncle is known as a traitor as well. What you did at the Boiling Rock is known throughout the world."

"If you wanted everyone to hate you even more than before, congratulations, you did it." Pakku chuckled.

"Leave the boy alone, Pakku." Jeong Jeong interrupted. "We didn't travel halfway through the world just to mock him."

"What I did at the Boiling Rock wasn't for me." Zuko muttered. "Someone I cared about paid for that."

"Yes, Mai, daughter of the Governor of New Ozai City." Jeong Jeong said. "Everybody in the fire nation knew about that. Betraying Azula can be very dangerous."

Zuko stopped dead in his track.

"What do you mean? Is Mai…?"

"Do you even care, fire bender?" Pakku asked. Zuko turned smoldering eyes towards the water bender.

"She is alive, as is her friend, Ty Lee." Jeong Jeong replied. "But they're locked in the deepest part of the Boiling Rock."

"In the freezers?" Zuko asked, turning his eyes away from Master Pakku.

"There was no need." Jeong Jeong shook his head. "Those two girls are not fire benders. But they're locked in the deepest dungeons of the prison."

"Not that you care, of course." Pakku said. "It was obvious when you left them behind."

"I did not leave them behind! They knew what they were doing! I didn't ask them to help me!" Zuko shouted.

"Keep telling yourself that, oh Crown Prince of the Fire Nation." Pakku said. "That must help you sleep at night."

Zuko tensed, and brought forth his power, ready to make the water bender repent his words.

"Do not fall into anger so easily, Prince Zuko." Jeong Jeong stood in front of Zuko. "What you did cannot be undone. What's important is what you'll do next."

Zuko took his eyes off Pakku's back and turned to look at Jeong Jeong. What the elder fire bender had told him was true. He was now on a course to redeem past mistakes; he couldn't waste time thinking about them instead of actually acting.

"Lead the way, Jeong Jeong." Zuko said.

"Very good." Jeong Jeong smiled. "We're almost there; and someone is anxious to see you."

**End of Chapter**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**A/N:** Chapter six of the series. Thanks again to Rosey for her help. I've been told that the chapters' paragraphs appear together when posted. I do not know why, because I space them correctly as I write them and then they're checked by my proof reader. Guess it's something does. I'll try to correct that so this thing is easier to read.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar…., belongs to Nickelodeon.

--

**Introductions****  
**  
Zuko was known for sometimes being overtly emotional, but he believed he'd managed to control such parts of his personality.

It clearly was not the case in point at the moment. When the two older men had almost dragged him to the unknown cave he was now standing in front of, he had believed himself to be somewhat safe.

He wasn't so sure anymore.

Jeong Jeong approached the cave and knocked several times on different spots in the entrance, while Master Pakku did the same thing on the opposite end of the cave.

Zuko frowned. They were standing in front of a wide open, enormous cave, and the two men were tapping the solid rock.

"Unless you two know how to earth bend I don't think that's going to be very helpful." Zuko said, crossing his arms.

"Do you always open your mouth before thinking, Prince Zuko?" Master Pakku asked the annoyed Prince. "Is it a family trait?"

"Pakku." Jeong Jeong spoke, using a warning tone. "Silence."

"What is going to happen now?" Asked Zuko and his voice betrayed his impatience and nervousness.

"You too, Prince Zuko." Said Jeong Jeong. "Keep quiet."

Zuko was about to reply when he felt vibrations shaking the otherwise motionless rock. The former **P**rince frowned and it suddenly clicked. A fire bender and a water bender had saved him from an unknown fate hours before; it would make sense if an earth bender was also with them.

And so it seemed, because from one side of the cave's entrance, a hole began to appear until it was large enough for them to walk inside. Pakku immediately walked in, while Jeong Jeong waited at the side, expecting Zuko to get inside first.

"I'm no longer the Prince, Jeong Jeong." Zuko said, feeling uncomfortable with the way the fire bender treated him. "You shouldn't act as if I'm still royalty."

When Jeong Jeong merely shrugged, Zuko began walking, but something crossed his mind and he stopped.

"Unless; this is not what I think and you're actually waiting for me to fall into a trap." Zuko said as he called upon his power, willing it to manifest in the form of flaming daggers on his hands.

"There's no need for that, Prince Zuko." Jeong Jeong sighed. "This is not a trap, young man. And even if it were, I do not think you would be able to defeat me so easily; and you're not counting the men and women inside this secret cave."

The words of the older fire bender seemed to make sense in Zuko's mind, so he let the flames on his hands die. Quickly looking around, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to escape the fire bender and the water bender, or even hide in his current condition.  
"Very well." Zuko finally said. "But if this is a trap, I don't care if I die, you will die first."

Jeong Jeong nodded, and patiently waited until Zuko made up his mind. The prince finally moved and walked inside the hidden cave, noting that there were torches on the walls, illuminating the stone path he was following.

After tense moments of walking, he finally entered a larger cavern, where a simple table with several chairs stood. Master Pakku was already seated in one of the chairs, seemingly bored.

"Took your time to get in here, Your Majesty." Pakku said. "Thought this was a trap, didn't you?"

"It's not a secret that you do not like me, Water Bender." Zuko replied. "I haven't survived this long for trusting strangers."

"If we wanted to kill you, we would have done it while you were unconscious." Pakku said; his voice almost a growl. Jeong Jeong quietly walked past Zuko and took a seat in front of Pakku.

"You should take a seat, Prince Zuko." The fire bender said. "We're still waiting for others to come."

"There must be someone else here." Zuko said, not sitting down. "An earth bender."

"The boy's a genius, Jeong Jeong." Pakku laughed. Zuko did not even bother to look at the water bender when he shot a fistful of fire at him. Pakku jumped out of the way of the blast, but the chair he was sitting in was not so lucky. Tiny charred splinters fell on Pakku as the chair exploded behind him.

"You little, arrogant murderer!" Pakku nearly shouted as he stood up. "What the hell…!"

"You keep opening your mouth before thinking." Zuko softly replied. "You shouldn't threaten an enemy if your element is nowhere to be found."

Pakku seethed with anger, but he realized Zuko was right. They were underground, with no source of water nearby, save for a small pitcher with very little liquid in it.

"Zuko. Stop it." Jeong Jeong said. "Or I will stop you."

"I don't care who starts or who stops. I demand to know what's happening here!" Zuko did scream. He then heard clapping sounds coming from the darkness, and he once again created fire daggers.

"You're not in danger, Prince Zuko." Jeong Jeong said, this time standing up and placing a restraining hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Besides, I don't think you would last long against this man."

Zuko stared at Jeong Jeong, his eyes burning with anger, but relented. Looking at the place where the voice had come from, he patiently waited until a figure appeared from the darkness.

An odd look appeared on Zuko's face. He couldn't quite place where he had seen the face of the man standing there.

"Welcome, King Bumi." Said Jeong Jeong. "Do please take a seat. We're still waiting for the others to arrive."

A couple hours later, and every seat in the small room was occupied, while a very surprised Zuko stood speechless next to the table.

"He does look a little like Iroh." King Bumi said. "Especially when he has that very unique dumfounded look on his face."

"Don't tease the boy, Your Highness, or else he will show you his lack of control." Pakku said.

"Calm down, Pakku." Jeong Jeong said. "I believe you all know our young guest, but he does not know all of you."

Jeong Jeong stood up and walked until he stood next to Zuko.

"Prince Zuko, let me introduce you to our guests." Jeong Jeong said. "From left to right, from the Earth Kingdom, King Bumi of Omashu."

The wise old man with crazy eyes smiled at Zuko.

"Next to him," continued Jeong Jeong, "is Wu, a fortuneteller, also from the Earth Kingdom."

"Nice to meet you, young man." Wu said.

Zuko merely nodded. He was too surprised to say a word.

"Then there's Master Pakku, who you already know. Next to him is Chief Arnook, from the Northern Water Tribe."

"I heard you were in the North Pole when one of your admirals attacked." Chief Arnook said, his hands together in front of his face. "That attack cost me my daughter."

Zuko cleared his throat, sensing he was in great danger.

"I apologize for your loss." Zuko said. "I was not part of the attack. I was looking for the Avatar. I knew nothing else."

"Admiral Zao ended her life indirectly." Jeong Jeong said. "When he took the life of the moon spirit."

"I saw a spirit take Zao's life." Zuko replied. "I guess that makes them even."

"You were there when that murdererdied." Chief Arnook said, and it seemed odd to Zuko that the man was not asking. "What happened?"

"I defeated him in fair combat." Zuko said. "A blue creature, made out of water, took hold of him. I tried to rescue him, but the spirit pulled him under the water."

"You did what?" Chief Arnook's voice shook and he stood up violently from his chair.

"Admiral Zao was a criminal." Zuko replied. "He had to answer for his crimes. And he was a Fire Nation soldier. Honor demanded that I should try to save him."

"Chief Arnook, please." Jeong Jeong said. "We're not here for that."

The chief of the northern water tribe sighed, and slowly sank into his seat.

"Next to Chief Arnook, seats Master Piandao, from the Fire Nation." Jeong Jeong said, and he couldn't help but notice how Zuko's right eye twitched. "And you can relax, young Prince. We're here not as members of a nation, tribe or kingdom. We're here as individuals who care about the fate of the world."

Zuko breathed a bit easier after that. It would do no good if any other member of the fire nation knew where he was.

"Finally, meet Guru Pathik." Said Jeong Jeong. "He's the one who guessed you would seek us."

"How could you have known that?" Zuko asked, feeling very uncomfortable. "And I certainly wasn't looking for any of you."

"You were looking for your Uncle." Guru Pathik said. "He happens to be a member of our White Lotus society."

"The what?" Zuko asked. "He never mentioned anything about such a society."

"Thus why it's called a 'secret' society, Fire Bender." Master Pakku said. "Try to pay more attention."

Zuko ignored the obvious bait and kept focused on the old man talking to him.

"He was certain you would start looking for him at some point." The guru continued speaking. "He wasn't sure if he'd find you first or if it would be the other way around. Unfortunately, you know of his status as traitor, so he can't stay for long in one place."

"He was here?" Zuko asked, not noticing how hopeful his voice sounded.

"Until two days ago, yes." Jeong Jeong replied. "General Iroh then had to relocate. He is far too recognizable to stay still."

"Damn." Zuko muttered. "Can you take me to him?"

"We don't know where he'll be for the next week or so." Chief Arnook mentioned. "He leaves clues in other hideouts we posses hidden in every nation."

"But we can take you to him." Jeong Jeong said. "If you can stay hidden with us until we know where he'll be."

"How hidden are we supposed to be?" Zuko asked. "There are things that should be done in the meantime. I did not leave the Avatar behind to crawl underground."

"Calm down, young Prince." Guru Pathik calmly said. "Things happen when they must. We cannot rush them."

"Yes, we can!" Zuko almost growled. "Haven't Jeong Jeong nor my uncle told you what is going to happen? Sozin's comet is about to arrive! With that, the Fire Nation will sweep over the entire world! Time is what we don't have!"

"What Guru Pathik is trying to say, in his usual cryptic way, is that you shouldn't rush to go out there and get killed." King Bumi interceded. "You must, of course, have a plan or something in your mind; that much Iroh said. We don't have time, but time is in the eye of the beholder, isn't it?"

"What?" Zuko asked, not knowing who made less sense, the bald guru or the old king.

"Tell us your reasons to look for your uncle." Chief Arnook said. "If we recall correctly, you betrayed him. It seems it's something you're good at."

"Your family, your nation, and even your girlfriend." Master Pakku said. "What a record."

Zuko seethed, but struggled to control his anger. It proved to be as difficult as creating lighting.

"I will not explain my motives at the time." Zuko practically growled. "And I wouldn't explain anything to you, but you're the only way I can find my uncle in time."

"So? Was General Iroh right? Do you have an idea?" King Bumi asked.

Zuko nodded.

"And do you plan on sharing it with us?" Master Piandao asked as well.

"It depends." Zuko replied, not liking being scrutinized by so many eyes. "Will you let go of all that Prince Zuko stuff and the fact that I have betrayed people by mistake?"

"Just like that?" Master Pakku asked. "You want redemption so easy?"

"Of course not." Zuko looked away. "I do not seek your forgiveness, but I need help. Are you willing to give it?"

Tense minutes went by, but slowly, everybody nodded.

"What are your plans, Prince Zuko?" Chief Arnook asked.

"I must ask, are you all of the members of this society?" Zuko asked.

"There were more." Master Pakku said. "Thanks to your father and sister, we're all that's left."

"We have three othermembers that are not here right now." Jeong Jeong corrected.

"Two of them are on the run, and the third one should have arrived already."

"Fine." Zuko sighed. "Do you have access to troops?"

"If we say yes, what would you propose?" Chief Arnook asked.

"I will not think of your men as expendable, Chief Arnook." Zuko angrily said. "I learned that lesson the hard way. I just want to know how we stand in terms of man power."

"If you want to make an attack on the Fire Nation, we do not have enough men." Chief Arnook said.

"No. That already happened and it was a complete failure." Zuko replied. "Besides; like I told you, Sozin's comet is coming and your soldiers wouldn't stand a chance."

"Then why do you ask, Prince Zuko?" King Bumi asked. "If your idea is not a direct attack on the Fire Nation, what is on your mind?"

"I have spent years studying the Avatar and the reason he or she exists." Zuko said. "I learned the Avatar reincarnates on every nation following a cycle, as to maintain a balance of power between all."

"We know all that, young man." Master Piandao interrupted. "Thanks to Guru Pathik here. What's your point?"

"If four nations require an all powerful bender to control the balance of power, what would happen if only one nation remains?" Zuko asked. "My father's goal is to eliminate the Avatar, but he would be reborn again, following the endless circle. Every subsequent Fire Lord would live in fear of the reappearance of the Avatar, or would try to corrupt him."

Zuko took a deep breath and shook his head.

"Uncle said something to me once: Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Zuko continued. "Should the Fire Nation conquer the entire world, it's only possible outcome would be eventual decay, and an empire would crumble sooner or later."

"That would take decades, Prince Zuko." Chief Arnook said. "Maybe even centuries. What is your point?"

"To rush that eventual conclusion." Zuko revealed. "The worst thing to happen to an empire is a civil war."

Sounds of disbelief soon rang throughout the entire cave.

"What do you mean?" Master Piandao asked. "How could you start a civil war when the absolute victory of the Fire Nation is at hand?"

"By planting doubt, Master Piandao." Zuko replied. "I don't believe my father has considered what it means to control the entire world. I have visited most of it and there are places I wouldn't be too comfortable to inhabit. I don't think any noble would be very happy to rule over the North Pole."

"Or the Southern water tribe." Master Pakku softly said.

"I also wandered several parts of the Earth Kingdom," Zuko continued. "Endless deserts where little food is available. I personally know Mai…, I mean, the governor of what was Omashu hated being in charge of the place. There is general discomfort with the colonies, and I plan to use that as a last resort."

"You want to start a civil war with what purpose, Prince Zuko?" Jeong Jeong finally asked. "I don't see the point."

"I'm trying to spare as many lives as I can." Zuko replied. "It's common knowledge that Sozin's comet will increase all fire bender's powers. That's the way my father wants to end this war. And from what I've seen, I don't believe the Avatar could stop my father as he is now; even less with increased powers."

"And that crazy sister of yours?" King Bumi asked as he munched on what seemed to be very solid crystals. Zuko bit his tongue to stop a rude remark and cleared his throat.

"I believe she's even more powerful than my father." Zuko sadly replied. "She stood her ground against all the benders in the Avatar's group, plus my uncle and me. I don't want to think how powerful she'll become when the comet comes."

"You're not giving us any hope, Prince Zuko." Master Pakku huffed.

"Think a little before you speak, Water Bender**."** Zuko finally snapped. "Think a little about everything I've told you so far. My father's main concern is to rule the world and kill the Avatar. My sister's goal is to rule the world as well, and she has already proven that she can kill the Avatar. Should a civil war or any insurrection occur, how do you think my sister would react?"

Silence suddenly appeared. It was no secret how powerful and how insane Crown Princess Azula was, and it didn't take much imagination to guess what she would do should her father show any weakness.

"You plan to use your sister's ambition against your own father." Chief Arnook finally spoke. "What a strange family you belong to."

"My sister and my father have already tried to kill me." Zuko replied. "They've come close on many occasions. In terms of power, I'm no match for Azula, but I may be a worthy opponent for my father."

"And you're counting on General Iroh to defeat Azula." Jeong Jeong said.

"Is General Iroh still that powerful?" Master Piandao asked. "The last time I saw him he was an old, fat man with no wish to fight."

"He's changed." Zuko said. "He's taught me everything I know. He's the Dragon of the West. Of course I believe he'll be a match to Azula's powers."

"Your civil war, what's it purpose, then?" Master Pakku asked.

"Picture this:" Zuko said. "The ultimate victory of the Fire Nation is at hand, but then the nobles of the colonies begin to ask for more money, more power and better geographical positions. If Azula senses any weakness in my father, she'll begin to plot his downfall; and my sister is not known for keeping her intentions hidden. That would add more fuel to the fire, in a manner of speaking. Instability of the Royal Familywould only increase tensions in the colonies; and they would soon be forced to choose a side, my father's, or Azula's. That would certainly take their minds off the colonies and the people in them."

"Forcing them to take their soldiers with them and fight between themselves." Chief Arnook said, looking around as the idea seemed to take shape within his mind.

"It sounds cold, even for you, Prince Zuko." Master Pakku said. "Using the soldiers of your own nation as pawns."

The words hit Zuko like a hammer, since he had once spoken against using soldiers as mere cannon fodder.

"It is a horrible solution." Zuko softly replied. "But imagine the other option. Hope a twelve year old boy who has an attention span of five seconds can defeat both my father and my sister, and then command the entire Fire Nation to leave the other nations in peace."

"You have little faith in the Avatar, Prince Zuko." Guru Pathik spoke. "He has more power in him than he even realizes."

"Have you met him?" Zuko asked. "Have you tried teaching something to that kid?"

The Guru seemed to consider his answer, closed his eyes and sighed.

"Believe it or not, I have." Guru Pathik replied. "And failed. His priorities lie elsewhere."

"Precisely." Zuko said, trying to hide his surprise. He wouldn't have guessed the Guru knew the Avatar.

"We've all met the Avatar, one way or the other." Master Piandao also said. Every member seated around the table nodded, until their eyes fell on King Bumi's figure.

"I met Aang a hundred years ago." The King said. "He still has much to learn, I agree. He has much more power than he realizes; I also agree. But what the young Prince says is also correct. Like I said, everything and everyone have their time and their place. Aang is not in synch with any of those two, and I don't know if he could fulfill his destiny."

"Not right now." Zuko said. "He's still too young. In the future, he'll be a force to be reckoned with, but now he's only a confused boy."

"You offer interesting ideas." Chief Arnook said. "It seems hard, but not impossible. Maybe we were too careless and irresponsible to place the fate of the world in a boy. Maybe we're crazy for listening to another boy."

Zuko gritted his teeth but remained silent.

"We have to consider everything that's been said here." Master Pakku said. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but there might be some logic in what this fire bender has said."

A sudden knock on the earth alerted them of the presence of someone else, and King Bumi smiled.

"Ahh, the one member who was most anxious to see the young Prince has arrived!" He said, clapping his hands. Zuko grew a bit anxious. Who could it be, except his uncle?

He smiled and waited as King Bumi opened the entrance to their hidden spot.

Zuko frowned when he heard the footsteps coming closer. They seemed to belong to a female, unless his uncle had taken to wearing heeled boots.

The smile disappeared from his face when the visitor finally appeared and stood in front of him.

"Well, well, nice to finally find you here, Prince of the Fire Nation." The woman said. "Long time no see."

Zuko growled again when he laid eyes on Jun, the bounty hunter.

**End of Chapter.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**A/N:** Ok, I saw the last chapters and the two hour movie of Avatar…, and I must say it's been a while since I'd been so disappointed in a series finale. Don't know if you've seen it or if you share my opinion, but that's how I feel. Here's Chapter seven of the series. Thanks again to Rosey for her help.

**A/N2:** Oh, and someone was kind enough to draw fanart based on my story, but there was no link to check it out. Please, do send me the link through the reviews form or to my email. Thanks.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar…, belongs to Nickelodeon.

--

**Voices in the Dark**

Zuko sat down in what he considered to be the most uncomfortable chair in the entire world. In front of him, people from different tribes and different social backgrounds were discussing his idea. It wasn't something he was proud of, that was for sure, but he felt the need to do something to end the war.

He was sulking like a little child, but he didn't care anymore, his honor had been tarnished a long time ago and he had done nothing to cleanse it.

Zuko closed his eyes and wished he had come to his senses sooner. Maybe that way he would've arrived on this makeshift camp and would have been able to see his uncle.

A faint blush appeared on the former Prince's face as questions appeared on his mind. If he found his uncle, what would he tell him? Would a mere apology be enough? How could he explain what he'd done? If he hadn't forgiven himself, how could he ask for his uncle's forgiveness?

Rubbing his tired eyes, Zuko realized he was extremely tired, but he dared not show it in front of those assembled in front of him. If there was one thing he had learned the hard way, was to never show weakness when faced with any opposition.

"So what you're telling me is that Prince Charming here wants to use his own people to throw the world into chaos and give us the chance to recover control of the Earth Kingdom?" Jun, the bounty hunter, asked.

"In simple words, yes." Jeong Jeong replied. "It's a dangerous plan, and one not thought out to the fullest, but it could be our only hope."

"Yeah? And what about the bald kid who's supposed to be the world's savior?" Jun asked. "Isn't he the one supposed to defeat the Fire Lord and bring balance to the nations?"

"It's been brought to our attention that the Avatar's ambitions lay elsewhere." Chief Arnook said. "Not only by Prince Zuko, but Guru Pathik also noticed something before."

Zuko's ears tingled when he heard the Water Tribesman's words.

"What is it?" Zuko asked. Guru Pathik seemed uncomfortable to open his mouth, but soon he gave in, sighed and began talking.

"I met the Avatar some time ago." The old man looked down as he spoke. "He wanted to know how to control the Avatar state, because he needed the power it brings forth to defeat his enemies."

Zuko felt uncomfortable when the Guru's eyes met his own.

"I spoke to him about control." The Guru continued. "I spoke to him about the way nature works and how we can harness that power to help ourselves. I tried to teach him how to control his chakras in order to access the enormous power that lies within his small body at will."

The Guru's eyes looked down again.

"But it was of no use. The Avatar's spirit and his mind were elsewhere. The focus and the passion just weren't there. He was not willing to let go of everything in order to save everything."

"Great. Just great." Jun said as she laid her feet up on the table. "So you're telling me all the hope of the world isn't even thinking about fighting?"

"I did not say that." Guru Pathik replied, his patience seeming to have no end. "I just meant that the boy's heart is in the right place, just not the place we need it to be right now."

"Ah." Jun smiled. "He's still thinking about that water bender with the blue eyes, right? Wasn't she your girlfriend, scarface?"

Zuko did not reply, but the torches in the cave flared for an instant and the overall temperature of the room rose.

"Prince Zuko, control your temper." Master Piandao said. "Jun, please do not bother our young guest. You know what Iroh told us."

"Alright, alright." Jun smiled. "It just seems so strange. Two powerful benders are made a mess because of one single girl."

Zuko gritted his teeth but remained in silence. He had to be silent or else the members of this seemingly powerful society would consider him an immature child as well. And that would be ironic, since he was accusing the Avatar of being just that.

"Whatever the reasons may be, Prince Zuko's plan seems to be a solid way to distract the invading forces." Fortune Teller Wu said, playing with her cards. "Even though my readings are vague most of the times, I have seen that a powerful bender would be crucial to save the world. Maybe we all misread the signs and placed too much of our faith on a child more interested in girls than saving the world."

"He's afraid." Zuko softly said. All eyes turned to him and he returned the glare. "Just imagine what he's been through. He's the last of his kind; he's witnessed firsthand all the atrocities my people have committed against the world, and I guess having the fate on the world on his shoulders is not an easy burden to bear."

Silence quickly appeared in the entire cave.

"He's just a boy." Zuko continued. "I have seen him when he's in what I suppose the Avatar state is, and that won't help us at all. Too much power without control is useless."

Jeong Jeong silently nodded.

"Finally, I don't believe the entire world is merely waiting for a twelve year old boy to do what three nations were unable to do in a hundred years." Zuko continued. "It all seems too simple, doesn't it? The Avatar reappears and everyone is threatened by him, even if he's a boy who has the attention span of a flying lemur."

"Maybe you're just looking at the picture without really looking." King Bumi said.

"I can look at the whole picture with no problem!" Zuko finally exploded. "Do you think it's easy to decide over the lives of others as if they're pawns? Do you think it was easy for me to go against everything I've ever known? Do you think the Avatar has the spirit to let it all go and kill a man? Knowing the boy he'd do everything in his power to avoid violence! And what do you think my father will do? Look into my face and tell me what do you think he'll do!!"

"Easy, scarface, we'll try to follow your little plan and we'll see what happens." Jun said, stretching her hands. Faster than they could all react, Zuko grabbed hold of one of Jun's hands and placed his own over the bounty hunter's face.

"Have you ever been burned, mercenary?" Zuko hissed, as everyone around the table stood up immediately. "Have you felt your skin melting? Have you smelled the stench of hair burning? Have you felt all that while looking into the face of a madman? Tell me if you have, and then I'll let you tell me everything you want to."

For a split second, Jun's eyes grew large, but she had not survived by being careless or easily frightened.

"You can let go of me before we both do something very stupid, young Prince." Jun calmly said. "And then I'll answer your questions."

Zuko's breath seemed to be made of fire, but he relented and let go of the dark haired woman.

"First of all, yes, I've been burned." Jun replied, rubbing her wrist. "And no, I'm not going to tell you how or where I was burned. Second, no, I was not burned by someone I loved, but he was a madman. Third, I understand what you're trying to do. I really do, but I wonder if you're ready to soil your hands, or if everyone else in this room is willing to."

Zuko turned around and stared at each and every pair of eyes he found, all staring at him.

"We have all fought, and killed in combat." Master Piandao finally spoke. "I do not know about you, Jun, or you, Prince Zuko, but you both seem to know the consequences of such actions."

"If we start this, there is no turning back." Jeong Jeong said. "We attack with all our might and don't hold back. We were waiting for a miracle, and maybe we were looking in the wrong direction."

"Still, there are no guarantees." Chief Arnook said. "This young man just told us the comet will increase their power tenfold. How are we going to fight against that?"

"The same way we were hoping a child would." Master Pakku said, his eyes fixed on the pendant wrapped around Zuko's wrist. "We can't bend air, but we have several individual talents which could be put to use when the comet comes. But before we do anything, tell me one thing, Prince Zuko."

Zuko looked at the water bender and nodded.

"What are the Avatar's plans? What is he going to do?" Pakku asked.

"As far as I know, he's been training to attack the Fire Lord before the comet arrives." Zuko replied. "That means we have to be faster than him. We have to act soon in order to help him. Knowing him and the people around him, they won't like my idea and would probably try to stop me."

"How many lives do you think will be lost, Prince Zuko?" Guru Pathik asked. "The Avatar was taught to respect all kind of lives. Of course he'll try to stop you."

"How many lives do you think my father will take if he's not stopped?" Zuko asked back. "He was taught that his place in the world was to rule it all. Violence is not always the answer, but what are our options?"

"Maybe we could take his fire bending abilities away?" King Bumi asked. "That's an answer that leaves us all happy, is it not?"

"Have you met my father at all, King Bumi?" Zuko asked. "Even if you take his powers away - which I don't think is possible - he would just find a way to strike back. What makes him dangerous is not his fire bending; it's his mind and the way he can manipulate people around. Besides that, he's not the one who worries me the most."

"Princess Azula." Jeong Jeong said.

"My uncle spent hundreds of days trying to conquer Ba Sing Se." Zuko said. "Azula conquered it in less than a week."

"Wow. Respect." Jun smirked.

"We could strike undercover." Master Piandao said. "A silent hit. Take out the head and the body dies."

"An assassination attempt?" Pakku asked. "Where's the honor in that?"

"Where's the honor in letting children fight? In a war adults began?" Chief Arnook interrupted. "This conflict cost me my only daughter! Because we were too busy waiting for the Avatar to arrive and save us all! When he appeared, we did not see the child he is, but the answer to all our prayers! I will not let more children die because of this war!"

"I've met those children, and I don't think they would die so easily." Master Piandao said.

"I have also met them." Master Pakku said. "And as much as it pains me to say it, Prince Zuko is right; they're more governed by passion than by reason."

"I honestly do not know what to do." Guru Pathik said. "I want to uphold life above everything else, but the Fire Nation is going to burn everything to the ground if we don't do something about it. I believe the time to wait for miracles has come and gone."

"I'm not asking for your permission." Zuko said. "But I would appreciate your assistance, or that you do not interfere. I appreciate your help back when I was unconscious, but right now I need to find my uncle."

"Why do you seek the Dragon of the West?" Master Piandao asked. Zuko looked away for a moment, shame filling his entire body.

"To ask for his forgiveness." Zuko replied. "And to ask for his help. My plan will be worthless if he is not by my side."

"You know, for a reasonable amount, I could find him." Jun said. Zuko looked at her and for a moment seemed to consider the idea.

"Thank you, but I need to find him on my own." Zuko replied.

"Wouldn't that take much time, the one thing you do not have?" Chief Arnook asked.

"It is something I must do on my own." Zuko replied. "If you're going to help me, you know what to do now. If you're not, then I suggest you think about what to do before the comet arrives. I will continue with my plan for the time being. If you come up with a better idea, it seems you're more than able to find me."

Zuko turned around and began walking towards the entrance when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. The former Prince turned around and stared into the eyes of Master Pakku.

"You probably will need these." The Water Bender said and handed Zuko his swords.

"I can't accept them if you want the pendant back." Zuko replied. Pakku smiled and shook his head.

"You must have taken it for a reason." Pakku said. "I might have not understood it at first, but now I have an idea. That pendant stands for many things, young Prince. You should be careful with it."

"Told you, that's his girlfriend's pendant." Jun said. Zuko couldn't control his impulse and shot a small bolt of fire towards one of the legs of the chair Jun was sitting in. Since the dark haired woman had her feet up on the table, the chair underneath her gave up and she fell down.

Everyone on the table sighed.

"You should do something about that temper, Prince Zuko." Chief Arnook said. "We can't afford to lose you because of those impulses of yours."

"It's what's kept me alive this long." Zuko said as he took his belongings. He took one moment to stare into the eyes of Master Pakku; an unspoken agreement seemed to take place in that instant.

"If you find my uncle before I do…"

"We'll let him know about this." Pakku said. "It's a matter of time before the two of you meet."

"If he's captured…"

"Do not be troubled, young Prince." Jeong Jeong interrupted this time. "He is more than capable of taking care of himself. Besides, he's not alone."

"There is someone else with him?" Zuko asked. "Another member of the White Lotus?"

"Some things are better left unsaid." Jeong replied. "It's safe to say that the two of them will keep each other alive."

"I do not enjoy riddles or secrets." Zuko replied. "But you've helped me, and I appreciate that. Keep yourselves alive, since it seems my safety depends on you remaining that way."

"We've survived this war." Fortune Teller Wu said with a smile. "Don't worry. I have seen your future and your destiny is a great one."

"Destiny is what one makes of it." Zuko said. "I still don't know what mine is, but I'm working to find out."

With a nod, Zuko headed out towards the exit. King Bumi effortlessly opened the stone door and Zuko left quietly, leaving behind thoughtful men and a very angry bounty hunter.

"Do you think we should have told him the truth?" Master Piandao asked.

"It is better not to distract him when he's clearly thinking outside the box." King Bumi said. "His mind is focused and driven. All he has for himself is his will and the sudden clarity of what is happening around him. Besides, Iroh does not want to be found. At least not for now."

"The Prince will hate us when he finds Iroh and his companion." Jeong Jeong said. "We will lose his trust."

"The person travelling with Iroh is smart and very persuasive." King Bumi said. "She'll find a way to make Zuko understand."

**End of Chapter.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**A/N:** Chapter 8 of the series. A bit longer this time, and I'm at a crossroad here; not knowing how much, or if, I'll respect the canon of the final chapters. Who knows? Thanks again to Rosey for her help.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar…, belongs to Nickelodeon.

--

**Family Matters  
**

"So now that we're this far away, what do you suggest we do?" Toph asked, holding on to dear life while sitting on Appa's saddle.

"We should get as far from the Western Air Temple as possible." Katara replied, her eyes lost in the horizon. "We don't know how long we have before we're tracked there."

"I honestly don't think Zuko would lead them there." Aang said, sitting as usual on Appa's head. "I'm sad to say he's not very welcome neither by his family nor his country."

"And it's so hard to figure why." Katara sarcastically said. "Who knows whose side he's on now, or what his agenda is at the moment." **  
**  
"Seems you complain too much about sparky, princess." Toph said. "What's with you two?"

"Nothing!" Katara and Aang answered at the same time, and a faint blush appeared on the Water Bender's face.

"Uh, that didn't sound like nothing." Suki whispered on Sokka's ear. The boy merely shrugged and shook his head.

"Besides, because he disappeared again we had to split up!" Katara continued. "I hate being away from those I care about! I hate that because the Fire Nation, I have nothing!"

"Then what are we?" Sokka asked. "Sock puppets?"

"You know that's not what I meant!" Katara replied. "But here we are again, running away and hiding; because of Zuko."

"Like I said, we're not sure he's…"

"He's going to do what, Aang?" Katara interrupted. "Chase us? Betray us? Send an assassin to blow us up? Team up with his psychotic sister and try to fry you again with lightning?"

"Well, when you put it that way…" Aang merely lowered his head.

"Uh, I'm sorry for meddling in what seems to be family business, but why do you hate him so much?" Suki asked. "He did help Sokka to get his father and me out of that hell hole."

"He helped twinkle toes here learn how to firebend." Toph added.

"I'm trying to understand, Katara." Sokka said. "The guy seemed really remorseful, and he did help us a lot. We got to be with dad, even if it was for a short while."

"But it doesn't matter in the end, does it?" Katara asked. "We're back were we began! We don't know where to go! We don't know who's chasing us this time, and we don't know who to trust!"

"Let me get this straight, then." Sokka said. "You're telling me Zuko left his place as Crown Prince of the Fire Nation; he left richness and comfort, a girlfriend, and the chance to become Fire Lord just so he could double cross us? It seems just a little too complicated for him, don't you think?"

"He's done it before." Katara replied.

"And he really, really seemed to regret it." Aang almost whispered. "I honestly don't know what I would have done without him, guys. He's a really good teacher, and he's improved a lot from the first times we fought."

"Oh, that's so much better." Katara almost snorted. "Then I guess I should be grateful he didn't burn us to the ground. But wait a minute; he did burn Toph, didn't he?"

"That was an accident, Princess." Toph said. "And we all understood that after he explained and after he tried to stop that freak he sent to kill Aang."

"Do you even listen to what you're saying?" Katara almost yelled. "He's Fire Nation royalty! Everyone there is just like a bomb ready to explode!"

"I'm sorry, Katara." Sokka said. "But the only one who has burned you is Aang."

Tense silence appeared, and Suki and Toph seemed to be utterly and completely confused.

"That was a mistake." Katara muttered. "He wasn't in control."

"I know, Katara, I know." Sokka replied. "And I'm sorry for bringing that up, but accidents do happen, Sis. I messed up with Suki here when I met her, letting my pride get the best of me. Toph here was very hard to recruit and she tends to be a bit violent against all of us."

"Hey!" Toph protested.

"I'm not trying to open old wounds." Sokka said, his eyes fixed on Appa's saddle. "But we all have something to regret, and we've had each other to help us to get through. I don't think Zuko's had that chance, and the one guy he could have relied on, he betrayed. I guess that must feel pretty horrible."

"And we're supposed to feel sorry for him?" Katara asked.

"They guy's got a power freak as a father." Sokka said. "His sister is a powerful, psychotic bender. His uncle is a retired general who, as far as I heard, was once one of the most feared fire benders in the world."

"And that scar." Suki said softly. "I don't want to sound mean, but that makes him look so…"

"What? Like the enemy?" Katara scoffed.

"He's got a scar?" Toph asked.

"Come to think about it, how did he get it?" Sokka asked. "Has he told anyone how he got it? Or has he mentioned anything about his mother?"

"He mentioned something, once." Katara said, her eyes still lost in the horizon. "He said he had lost her to the Fire Nation as well."

"Wow. I didn't know that." Toph said.

"It's not like he's very talkative, but, he could have mentioned something." Sokka replied.

"Seems strange that he only told you about that." Aang said, visibly upset. "When did this happen?"

"When we were prisoners in the caves beneath Ba Sing Se." Katara replied. "But he didn't explain more, nor did he say anything about his scar."

"Someone must have hated him a lot to leave that on his face." Suki said. "I feel sorry for him."

"Wait, it's on his face?" Toph asked. "Is he horribly disfigured and that's why Princess' heart jumps when she sees him?" The silence seemed to weigh even more above them all. Aang's head almost twisted unnaturally when he turned to look at Katara's face, but the Water Bender's eyes were closed and the Avatar felt something twist in his heart when she didn't deny Toph's words.

"Is that true?" Sokka asked. "Do you…Do you have feelings for Zuko?" **  
**  
"It's complicated." Katara finally answered, but she did not turn her head to acknowledge them. "When I see him, I see the enemy. When I look at him, I remember the fear I used to feel when I thought he'd take Aang away from us. He's a constant reminder of what the Fire Nation did to us. Of what they did to me."

"You blame Zuko for what happened to our mother?" Sokka asked.

Katara seemed to shake for a moment. She took a deep breath and then turned to face them all.

"Yes. It sounds horrible, I know." Katara said, her face revealing deep sadness. "But I can't help it. I remember when Aang accidentally burned me, and I can't help but realize that's what happened to mom. I see Zuko and I know his family started it all, and I'm sorry, but sometimes I wish they had never been born."

"I never realized…" Sokka didn't know what to say, and it seemed everyone else was as at a loss for words.

"So please don't judge me." Katara continued. "I dared to trust him, and forget all the things the Fire Nation makes me feel, and in that moment of weakness, Aang was almost killed. I can't let myself forget that feeling again."

"We didn't know, Katara." Aang said, his eyes fixed on the path ahead. "I would have never let him get close to us had I known."

"Same here, sis." Sokka said. Suki and Toph only nodded.

"It's alright." Katara sighed. "Aang needed a fire bending teacher, and he's one of the best out there. It's just that I don't want to repeat the same mistakes over and over again. I'm tired of trusting those who are not worth it."

"Risking the fact you may want to throw me off Appa, I was kinda warming up to the guy." Toph said. "He sounded really honest, especially when he spoke of his uncle."

"Yeah, remember that time when Azula struck the old man with lightning?" Sokka said. "I'd never seen Zuko so frightened. Come to think about it, it's the only time I've seen him frightened."

"I guess after all he's been through, I don't think many things can impress him now." Suki said.

"I'm not sure." Toph said. "Princess here had that effect on him as well."

"What effect?" Aang asked, his eyes once again taken off the path.

"The whole heart jumping thing." Toph repeated. "I guess he found her to be the one most dangerous of all. You know, with the whole bloodbending thing and all."

"Could be, but that still doesn't explain why he took Katara's pendant." Sokka said. "Unless he plans on finding us later? Remember that girl who had the mole thing that could follow anyone with its nose?"

"You mean the thing that could also paralyze us with its tongue?" Katara asked, making a face. "Why would he want to find us again?"

"That's what doesn't make sense at all." Suki suddenly said. "If he wanted to do something to any of us, he could just have waited until we were all asleep and then strike."

Everyone remained in silence, weighing the words the Kyoshi warrior had just said.

"Wait, that's what you would have done?" Sokka suddenly asked.

"We were trained to fight." Suki said, blushing. "We try to disarm the enemy and use his own strength against him, but we've been trained, uh, to do several things."

"Then, uh, you know, have you, ah…" Sokka seemed unable to finish the sentence.

"No." Suki said. "Fortunately, we have never been in such a situation. But I wonder, now, if we will be in that situation."

"What do you mean?" Sokka asked.

"Let's face the facts." Suki said, her voice barely audible over all the wind. "We're supposed to be training to help the Avatar defeat the Fire Lord; but how exactly is he going to do it?"

"I'm not really sure how I'm going to do it." Aang honestly answered. "I was even considering if it would be wise to fight him when the comet arrives. It would be like suicide."

"You want to wait, or attack first?" Katara asked.

"I don't know." Aang replied. "Like you said earlier, it's hard to admit such feelings, but I'm afraid, guys."

"Hey, come on! You're the Avatar! What's to be afraid of?" Sokka said.

"You've seen Zuko fight, Sokka." Aang replied, his head down. "You've seen Azula fight. They're two of the best fire benders I've ever known. I have been able to hold my own against Zuko in the past, but he's gotten much better. You know how my fight with Azula ended. I don't know how I'd fare against the Fire Lord, so yeah, I'm very afraid."

"But what about the Avatar thing when you get all glowy and you destroy everything in your path?" Sokka asked.

"I can't control it." Aang answered. "I've never been able to. I wasn't able to because of my own feelings and my earthly attachments. After Azula struck me with lightning, I haven't been able to feel that sensation again."

"Oh, boy. And you tell us now?" Sokka said, throwing his hands into the air. "What the hell are we going to do, then?"

"I don't know!" Aang yelled. "I'm tired of everyone telling me I'm supposed to be this great hero, the last hope of the planet! But I don't know what I'm doing! And everyone keeps pushing me and pushing me and they all say it's my duty to defeat the Fire Lord and bring balance to the world!"

"Hey, Aang, we're sorry if we've been piling all that on you." Sokka said.

"If you were so unsure, why didn't you speak about it before?" Toph asked. Only Katara remained in silence, looking at the back of Aang's head.

"You didn't want to run away, did you?" Katara asked. "But you don't know how to be what everyone expects you to be."

"I'm sorry, guys." Aang said. "I never wanted to be the Avatar. I still don't want to. Most of the times I don't know what I'm doing, and when I get into the Avatar State, I just lose control."

"Ok, ok." Sokka said, covering his eyes with his hands. "What are we going to do?"

"Let's face facts." Suki said. "Problem 1: We're on the run again. We need somewhere to hide quickly. Problem 2: The comet is coming and every fire bender in the world will become insanely strong, so we have to decide when we're going to strike. Problem 3: Zuko. What are we going to do about him?"

"We could go underground." Toph said. "Literally. Maybe underneath Ba Sing Se or Omashu. Since both cities are now under control of the Fire Nation, they wouldn't look for us there."

"That's an idea." Sokka said. "But we're not badger moles, and I don't know how far we'd handle being beneath the ground."

"But it's a possibility." Suki replied. "Is there any other Air Temple we could hide in?"

"There is another one." Aang said. "Full of bad memories, but we could hide in there for a while."

"Ok, two options." Suki smiled. "Problem 2: What are we going to do about the comet? Wait or attack?"

"I say we attack." Toph said. "Maybe if they're looking for us we won't have to face the entire Fire Nation Army."

"But if they're busy burning the rest of the world, it wouldn't do much good for us to storm the Fire Nation palace, would it?" Katara asked. "Besides, going against both the Fire Lord and Azula is practically suicide. Don't forget we only survived last time because of Zuko's uncle."

"That brings us back to problem 3: what are we going to do about Zuko?" Suki asked.

"What Katara said." Aang suddenly said.

"Huh?" Everyone asked.

"I survived last time because Zuko and Azula were distracted by their uncle." Aang said. "Maybe that's who we need to find, instead of Zuko."

"Hey, maybe that's what he's trying to do!" Sokka suddenly said. "Maybe he just left to find his uncle!"

"Without telling any of us?" Toph asked. "From what Princess said, I guess that man is on our side. And when I talked to him, I kinda liked him."

"Could be." Katara said. "But what tells us his uncle will welcome him when they meet?"

"That old man loves Zuko." Toph said, smiling. "When I spoke with him, all he talked about was his nephew."

"That's a start." Suki said. "The problem now is how to find that man?"

"He's a traitor to the Fire Nation, but Zuko mentioned his uncle had escaped the day of the eclipse." Sokka said. "So we won't have to go anywhere near the Fire Nation."

"Yeah, but how can we ask without raising suspicion?" Aang asked.

"We still have those Fire Nation costumes." Sokka replied. "We could use them to travel and ask if anyone has seen the traitors."

"Risky." Toph said. "Sounds good. Let's do it. Can we go down now?"

"In a bit, Toph." Katara said. "We should start with the people we know don't pose a threat to us; like King Bumi, Master Piandao, Master Pakku, Fortune Teller Wu, the people in Kyoshi Island, those kinds of people."

"Master Piandao is Fire Nation." Aang said. "I thought we said we wouldn't go anywhere near the Fire Nation."

"There's something that I don't understand about him." Sokka said, looking into his bag. "This paisho tile- what does it mean? What's it good for? He must have given it to me for a reason."

"Our two best options now are finding either Zuko's uncle or King Bumi." Suki said. "I guess it would be easier to find King Bumi. Maybe he knows what that white piece means."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Aang said. "Straight to Omashu it is."

**End of Chapter.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**A/N:** Chapter 9 of the series. I apologize if the updates are coming too slow, but I'm trying to be more careful when writing this story. Thanks a lot to Rosey for the corrections. Without her, this would be a mess of mistakes.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar…, belongs to Nickelodeon.

**--**

**Lighting Crashes**

Zuko scratched his head as he sat cross legged near the edge of a river. He couldn't help but look at his reflection on the calm water flowing in front of him.

It had been two days and he was nowhere close to where he wanted to go.

More accurately, he had absolutely no idea where he was going, or what he was going to do when he got there.

He tried to picture the reunion with his uncle, but every fantasy or daydream ended with his uncle getting angry at him, or worse, ignoring him.

Zuko closed his eyes and meditated. That had always helped him in the past, but now he was feeling confused again. He had brought it upon himself, when he had tried to create lightning in his own fashion, not possessing the peace of mind necessary.

But he hadn't let trivialities stop him in the past. All he was feeling was guilt, and he was working on how to fix that. Taking deep breaths, he focused again on his need to control his power. He was certain he was now far away from the Avatar and his friends. Since he was completely lost, he guessed he wouldn't be that easy to trace.

Of course, that was until he tried to create lightning. That always left him exhausted and usually surrounded by a couple of charred trees. He didn't understand why he was unable to direct the power to the place he willed it to, and he wondered why the lightning always seemed to head towards the nearest tree.

Standing up, Zuko once again went through the same process he'd developed to create lightning. Once the power began to flow in his body, he tried to suppress as much of it as he could, thinking that could be the problem. But it was harder to contain so much power as opposed to unleash it, and Zuko felt the energy coursing dangerously close to his heart.

Pointing his arm towards a rock, he directed the restrained power with his right arm, trying to strike the rock. The bolt of lighting came out, throwing him away as always, but not knocking him unconscious this time. Zuko shook from the effort and felt the muscles in his arms throbbing, but a slight smile appeared on his face when he noticed the lightning had grazed the rock, before heading directly to the nearest tree.

Laughter came to him. He almost had it. The most powerful weapon in his sister's arsenal was getting within his reach. With a little more practice, maybe he could fight fire with fire, as ironic as that sounded in his mind.

That meant he had a fighting chance against her. If he managed to control the power, maybe he could avoid exploding when the comet arrived and increased his abilities.

Or maybe that was another choice; go out with a bang, and take his sister and father with him to whatever place awaited them.

If children paid for the sins of the father, then he was in for a hell of punishment.

Unconsciously rubbing his scar, Zuko wondered if that was what he really wanted. He resented his father for punishing him in such a cruel way, but he didn't hate him. The Fire Lord was still his father, after all, and deep inside of him he still admired and loved the man. Azula was a sociopath, but she was his sister, and the only thing he had left of his mother. Even if Princess Azula was mad, she still looked a lot like her mother, and that always made Zuko hold back when fighting against her.

And yet, it wasn't true, and he was only making a fool of himself. He knew Azula was a much better fighter than he, and if given the chance, she could very well become the most powerful fire bender on the planet. Those blue flames of hers were hot as hell, and her control of the situation always seemed flawless.

If he was going to challenge her to Agni Kai, he was almost certain it would be the closest thing to committing suicide.

His options were limited, and he still hadn't found a city large enough to start his civil war. Sitting down again at the edge of the river, he once again stared at his reflection.

Perhaps his problems came from the fact he didn't think things through. He was impulsive and followed his instinct; and all else be damned.

Zuko covered his scar and stared at his reflection. How his life would have been if he hadn't spoken out of turn in that council of war? Would he have become a psychopath like Azula did? Would his sister have killed him just to be the next in line to the throne?

The last words his father had told him had his mind in shambles as well. He remembered the night he had last seen his mother, and the words of Azula rang on his mind every once in a while. His grandfather had ordered his execution, his mother had vanished, and the next morning his grandfather laid dead.

The implications were mind boggling, but that could explain why everyone in his family walked the razor's edge between good and evil.

Maybe his mother planned everything, and the coronation of his father as Fire Lord had been the price of his life.

Zuko brought his hand down, and stared at the scar in his face. It would be a memory and an issue impossible to leave behind. It meant too much, and even if it somehow disappeared from his face, he doubted it would ever leave his soul.

If he still had a soul left, after everything he'd done.

"Why did you do it?" He quietly asked his own reflection, picturing the face of his father in stead. "Why did you feel the need to punish me in such a way? Your own son?"

Zuko pulled his hair back, the way he used to while he was still Crown Prince of the Fire Nation.

"Did you regret leaving me alive?" He continued asking. "Did you even love my mother? My grandfather? Your own brother? Did you only live for the hope of one day becoming Fire Lord?"

He sighed as he let his hair fall down and cover part of his face. The image on the water was what he'd become; what the sacrifices of those before him had shaped him to become.

He was planning to use men of his own Nation to fight amongst themselves, turning them into pawns of a bigger game. The same idea had filled him once with outrage, and he'd been punished because of that.

Now he was only thinking in numbers; the number of people who would be killed when Sozin's comet arrived throughout the world, against the number of soldiers who would kill each other in their ambition for power.

"I guess we all become our fathers." Zuko said. "Whether we want it or not."

The former Prince looked away and stared at the rock he'd grazed with lightning before.

"Congratulations, Fire Lord Ozai." Zuko continued. "I'm now the son you always wanted, and that will probably cost you your life. I hope I make you proud."

A branch snapping behind him caused him to grow alert immediately. His mind raced as he wondered who it could be. If it had been the Avatar and his band of misfits, he would have surely heard the flying bison, or Sokka's incessant banter. The members of the White Lotus Society would not have been so careless as to step on a branch. A soldier would have already attacked him, not mattering which nation he or she belonged to.  
So probably it was an animal, and even though he wasn't used to killing just for the sake of it, he was hungry.

And it was a chance to see if he could direct lightning more accurately than before.

Quickly focusing, he brought forth as little of his power as he could, and without thinking too much about it, he let the lighting flow from his fingers. The bolt of lighting crackled and went in the general direction Zuko had heard the branch snap. It was a far cry from the accuracy his sister or his father displayed, but it was an enormous progress. His arms weren't shaking and he was feeling a rush of adrenaline from the power coursing through him.

But it all went away when the lighting did not strike anything at all, and instead was redirected towards the sky.

Zuko tensed immediately. As far as he knew, only two people in the world knew how to redirect lighting, his uncle Iroh and he. But that didn't mean Azula, or his own father, hadn't learned how to do it.

Crouching into a fighting position, he cursed himself for leaving his swords so far away. He couldn't let himself get out into the open, having already realized trees naturally attracted lighting. They would be his protection while he tried to get closer to the enemy.

"Damn it all." Zuko muttered. He didn't need a fight so soon. He just needed to get away. Since lightning was not an option, he resorted to what he did best. He threw fire as fast as he could; hitting every tree in the direction he guessed his enemy was. Even if it was a fire bender, he hoped enough smoke would appear to cover his escape. He just needed enough time to pick his bag and then jump into the river.

Just as he guessed, the fire began to disappear almost as soon as it had started, so he shot another couple of flames, desperate for the curtain of smoke he needed. He smiled when he grabbed his bag and turned around, only to be greeted by the last thing he was expecting to see.

"You shouldn't set fire to a forest, Zuko." Iroh said, his frame very different from the last time Zuko had seen him. The Dragon of the West was again an imposing figure of power. "Besides, it's a bother to extinguish it."

Zuko was surprised for a moment. He expected a lot of things, but he didn't expect his uncle to talk to him as if nothing had happened. It all seemed too good to be true, and he was very tired of been played like a fool.

"How do I know it's you?" Zuko almost growled as he took a fighting position. "My uncle wouldn't have stepped on a branch."

Iroh stared into Zuko's eyes, and the strength behind them made Zuko realize it was indeed his uncle, so he lowered his arms and looked down in shame.

"I'm sorry." Zuko said.

"It's alright, Zuko." Iroh said, patting his stomach. "It's normal to be confused. I lost a lot of weight in the past few weeks."

"I'm not talking about that." Zuko said, his eyes still avoiding his uncle's. "I mean I'm sorry for every mistake I've done in the last years. I'll understand if you don't forgive me, but I need your help."

Zuko finally lifted his eyes and met his uncle's gaze. When the Dragon of the West didn't speak back, Zuko continued.

"I was wrong." Zuko said. "You were wrong. My father was wrong. The Avatar can't stop this war."

Iroh's brow lifted, but he remained silent.

"You spoke to me about Avatar Roku, and how he was a force of nature." Zuko continued. "But when the time came, he didn't stop Sozin, and all of this began. I don't think the present Avatar possesses the abilities or the character needed to stop the Fire Lord."

"And you think you do?" Iroh finally asked. "Or that I do?"

"Destiny seemed so clear to me in the past." Zuko said. "First, it was my destiny to become Fire Lord one day. Then my destiny changed to find the Avatar and restore my honor. At one point it changed and I felt my destiny was to prove myself to my father and my nation. And lately, I thought my destiny was to teach the Avatar how to fire bend so he could defeat my father."

"That's the original plan, is it not?" Iroh asked, crossing his arms. "That was how destiny was supposed to happen."

"But it's never that simple, is it?" Zuko asked. "You are living proof of it. At one point, you were Crown Prince of the Fire Nation and the first in the line of succession. You were supposed to bring Ba Sing Se down in fire, and you lost too much in that battle. After that, you tried to teach me everything I know, and you failed, because I betrayed you in every sense. So tell me, uncle; what is destiny? Something we're just supposed to follow, or something we have to find?"

"And you believe the Avatar will not be able to fulfill his destiny?" Iroh asked.

"He's a twelve year old boy who suddenly realized he's got the fate of the world in his hands." Zuko said, lifting one finger of his left hand. "He's an air bender, and from what I've seen, their fighting style was no match at all against a fire bender. It's a passive technique, meant more to distract and incapacitate instead of maiming or killing. Guess how he'll do against my father with the comet in the sky."

A second finger was lifted.

"The boy doesn't take anything seriously." Zuko said as he lifted a third finger. "He's more interested in making the members of his rag-tag team laugh than train. His mind is focused on the water bender, instead of focusing on gaining enough power to end this war."

A fourth finger was lifted.

"He cares more about them than he does for himself. In the war to come, he'll have to let go of everything if he is to focus in the fight against my father."

"Finally," Zuko said, lifting his fifth finger, "Father won't be alone."

"Azula." Iroh nodded.

"You know what happened the last time they faced Azula." Zuko said. "She wasn't alone. Yes, I'm ashamed of it, but they were no match for the both of us. You were."

"That's why you are planning a civil war, Zuko?" Iroh asked. "You, who were so offended when an admiral suggested using troops to distract the enemy while the real attack happened?"

"And what's the other option?" Zuko asked. "Let five children lead an attack against the Fire Lord of the most powerful army in the world, when the armies of the remaining nations are nothing but hungry peasants, and when the comet that increases our power is high in the sky? Is that what you're telling me?"

"I may not be so sure of many things, Zuko." Iroh said. "It's not a secret that I've made mistakes. But I believe the Avatar is supposed to fulfill his role as the embodiment of the planet's spirit. He's supposed to be the keeper of balance. It's his duty to end this endless war."

"So we're leaving the fate of the planet on a boy." Zuko said. "A boy who calls me 'sifu hotman' and spends his days picking flowers to give to that water tribe girl. When my father burns half of the Avatar's face off, what are we going to do? What are you going to do? Wasn't your destiny to be Fire Lord? Wasn't it your birthright?"

Iroh remained silent for a long time, longer than Zuko had expected, and the young man wondered if he had crossed the last line of patience his uncle had.

"You do have a point, Zuko." Iroh said quietly. "Destiny is not written in stone. You and I are living proof of that. But we can't change the fact that the Avatar is meant to be the keeper of peace and balance among the nations. We can't change that."**  
**  
"I don't mean to do that." Zuko replied. "I know that's what the Avatar is supposed to do; it's what he was born to do. But right now, he's just a boy, and I don't know if he'll be able to do what has to be done."

"And you? Are you ready to kill your father?" Iroh asked.

"I should have done it." Zuko firmly said. "The day of the eclipse, I was standing in front of him, both of us powerless, and I had my swords with me. You know I'm good with them. I should have taken his head right there; but I couldn't. I still believed it was the Avatar's job to defeat my father, but that was before I began training him. Before I saw five children trying to cope with the fact they were the world's last hope."

"So you decided to take that burden upon your own shoulders." Iroh said.

"How old were you when you took a life, Uncle?" Zuko asked. "What happened when you saw someone you loved die?"

Iroh looked away.

"I didn't mean to bring back bad memories." Zuko softly said. "But we have seen the war right in our faces. We have seen people die. We have heard the screams. We have smelled the flesh burning. You've looked into the Avatar's eyes. Do you think he'll be able to let go of that innocence when the time comes?"

"Could it be that you have lost all faith, Zuko?" Iroh asked. "Do you not trust the Avatar? Or has it something to do with the Water Tribe pendant hanging from your wrist?"

Zuko looked at Katara's necklace around his right wrist and sighed.

"Like I said, I've seen men die." Zuko said. "But I've never seen children die. This is a war my family started, Uncle. This is a war adults kept alive for decades. It's not fair for children to finish it. I don't want to see those children die."

"You're also a child, Zuko." Iroh said. "Even if you don't feel like one."

"I'm not proud of what I've become, Uncle." Zuko said. "And I haven't felt likea child for a long time. It's time to stop depending on someone else and do something. So I ask you again, could you trust me one more time? Would you help me end this war without sacrificing more lives?"

"Lives will be lost, Zuko." Iroh sighed. "This is war. It's inevitable."

"Very well. I just don't want them to die." Zuko said. "Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Actually, yes." Iroh smiled. "That's more like the Zuko I know."

"I'm very sorry, Uncle." Zuko said. "I don't know what to say to make you forgive me. Maybe you won't, or can't, but I need you."

"I don't like where this conversation is going." Iroh said.

"If everything works out the way I want to, I'll be able to challenge Azula to Agni Kai." Zuko said. Iroh gasped. "I don't know if father will be there, but if I can send the Fire Nation into chaos, it's likely that both of them will be in the palace."

"And while you're trying to kill your sister…"

"You'll recover your rightful place as Fire Lord." Zuko completed the phrase. "In terms of raw power, I believe you're the only one who can do it."

"You're asking me to kill my brother." Iroh said. "While you try to kill your sister."

"It's a possibility." Zuko nodded. "But what are the options? Even if we win the war, we still have to maintain peace. If the Avatar defeats or kills the Fire Lord, how long do you think it will take for the entire Fire Nation to try to kill the Avatar? How many of them do you think will accept peace as a way of life after a lifetime of war?"

"The Avatar might find a way to defeat your father without killing him." Iroh said. "Don't lose hope so easily, Zuko."

"Even if the boy doesn't kill my father, that doesn't stop the problem!" Zuko yelled this time. "Don't you see? Don't you understand? The problem is not the Fire Lord's power, Uncle! It's his policies! It's the way he's riled up the entire army to destroy the world! The only choice I have come up with is that you must take your rightful place as Fire Lord and stop this!"

"Why me, Zuko?" Iroh asked. "Why not you?"

"I'm a traitor, Uncle." Zuko replied. "If you're so caught up in destiny, then I can tell you that becoming Fire Lord is not my destiny. I don't know where it lies, but I know I had the chance to stop this war, or at least thin the ranks of the enemy."

"What stopped you?" Iroh asked. "For real."

"He mentioned something about my mother." Zuko replied. "And I fell in the trap. He bought enough time to distract me and attack. I had two chances, Uncle**; ****t**wo chances to kill him and I wasted them."

"You're not a murderer, Zuko." Iroh said, walking closer to Zuko and placing his hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Besides, he's still your father. What you're talking about is us killing our family."

"Like they haven't tried to do it before." Zuko bitterly replied.

"We're not the same as them, Zuko." Iroh sternly said. "We shouldn't lower ourselves to such position."

"I don't think I can sink lower, Uncle." Zuko said. "All I can think about now is stopping this war, one way or the other. I don't want to beg, but if that's…"

"Stop." Iroh said. "You know I would go to Hell with you even if you didn't ask me to. I merely wanted to know if you were aware of what you're getting yourself into."

"I know what I'm doing, Uncle." Zuko replied. "Sometimes sacrifices are necessary."

Iroh sighed.

"Without you, it will really be a suicide mission." Zuko said. "With you, we might have a chance."

"You put too much trust in me." Iroh said, smiling. "I'm an old, old man, you know?"

"The day of the eclipse, I went to get you out of prison." Zuko revealed. "But you had already escaped, so don't tell me you're not a great warrior. You're the Dragon of the West, even if you didn't kill the dragons."

"How did you…?" Iroh sighed. "I guess that doesn't matter now. Maybe we should work on your lighting technique."

"Sure." Zuko smiled. "By the way, did you snap the branch on purpose? Was it like a trick or something?"

Iroh looked away and sighed.

"You met the members of the White Lotus Society, right?" Iroh asked.

"Yes, and they said you didn't want to be found." Zuko replied. "And that you weren't traveling alone."

Iroh's shoulders dropped.

"It wasn't I who stepped on the branch, Zuko." Iroh said. "It was someone else."

"Someone you're protecting?" Zuko asked.

"More or less." Iroh mumbled. "I guess it's no longer necessary to keep this a secret."

Steps began to approach, and Zuko tensed instinctively. Iroh kept his hand on Zuko's shoulder and gripped it a bit tighter.

"You must control yourself, Zuko." Iroh said. "Many trials still await you. This is only the first of them."

The steps came closer, and as the figure appeared in front of them, Zuko's eyes grew large and he felt all the energy of his body leave him. He turned to look at his uncle and then back at the person who had appeared.

The former prince of the Fire Nation fell down on his knees, his eyes fixed on the image he could not believe.

"Mother?" Zuko whispered, as he stared at Fire Lady Ursa standing right in front of him.

**End of Chapter.**

**A/N2: **Ok. It was obvious it would be Ursa. I wanted to hold on to that surprise for a bit, but a couple of readers proved to be much too clever, so I brought Fire Lady Ursa back in this chapter. Hope you enjoyed it.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**A/N:** Part ten of the series. I apologize for not updating sooner. Had some software problems but now everything's fixed. It's a small chapter but I'll try to fasten the pace and post more often. Thanks again to Rosey for proof reading this chapter.

**Disclaimer**: Avatar…, belongs to Nickelodeon

--

**Strength and Loyalty****  
**  
The impact almost broke Zuko's nose and sent him tumbling a couple feet away. He had been trained before by countless masters and had learned things merely by observing, but the man fighting against him now was not holding back, like the others had.

The throbbing pain in his nose took his mind off the topic that mattered to him the most. Fire Lady Ursa, his mother, the only person in the world besides his uncle that had shown him affection, was alive. She wasn't very different from the image he had on his mind; the picture of his beautiful mother in his mind had not changed that much in the past years.

But he did not want to think about that. He just wasn't ready to even consider what had been happening for the past few years; and he was certainly feeling less guilty for betraying his uncle. After all, it was clear his uncle had known where his mother had been, and had not revealed anything about it.

"Stand up, Prince Zuko." Iroh said. "Your training is still far from over."

"I'm coming, Dragon of the West." Zuko bitterly replied, spitting a mouthful of blood aside, standing up. "As you said, we're still not done."

Zuko felt a rush of emotions twirling inside his heart. He was not focusing at all in the fight, and he only wanted to hurt his uncle. It was a horrible feeling, and he was experiencingthe all familiar confusion he'd felt for the past years. It seemed that every time he had sorted out his fate and things cleared out, something happened that brought him back to the starting point.

"Prince Zuko! Pay attention!" Iroh sternly said, launching yet another brutal attack that showed Zuko why his uncle had been the General of the entire Fire Nation Army. It seemed Iroh had grown younger and more powerful; it was clear his uncle had always held back in every battle.  
Yet Zuko was angry, and he was beginning to learn how to control that emotion to his advantage. Avoiding the barrage of flames coming his way, Zuko focused more on deflecting the attacks instead of returning them. He was practicing; seeing if he could control his temper long enough to find an opening. Iroh kept attacking him relentlessly; exactly the way Zuko asked him to.**  
**  
It almost as if Zuko had challenged his uncle to an Agni Kai –such was his anger- and the Prince was imagining he was fighting his true enemy. It wouldn't do if he exerted his strength trying to match power with power, even more when it was clearly obvious Iroh was much more experienced and more adept at fire bending.

"What are you waiting for, Prince?" Iroh asked as he twirled around and two enormous waves of fire appeared from his legs. "Running around won't get you anywhere!"

Zuko did not reply nor tryto dispel the fire with his own power. He was practicing his speed and agility, not his power. But the task was proving to be extremely difficult; his plan was clear in his mind, but his body was not prepared.  
The picture of Azula's blue flames, and the incredible heat they exerted, were enough to singe his skin off if he missed a beat.  
'And that's without counting those damned bolts of lightning.' He thought.

One tentacle of fire singed off a bit of his hair and Zuko's mind was brought back to the present. If he wasn't careful, Iroh was more than capable of killing him in the practice they were having. Zuko twisted in mid air and closely escaped the fire burning so close to his head. He wasn't afraid of being burned; he had long ago lost that fear, but his mind was not in avoiding getting injured. His mind was intent on increasing his reaction time and finding the opening he needed to end the fight with merely one incredible burst of power.

"Zuko! What is it you're doing?!" Iroh shouted. "You are fighting like an Air Nomad! Avoiding attacks instead of putting me on the defensive! Have I taught you nothing?"

'You taught me how to keep secrets.' Zuko thought. 'You taught me how to lie in the face of those you love. And you're teaching me how to survive in a fight against the best fire benders in the world.'

Iroh frowned when Zuko did not answer his taunts and only kept avoiding the attacks coming his way. That did not mean the Dragon of the West would stop his onslaught; he would merely increase the intensity of his attacks. If his nephew wanted to train in such a way, he would help him in every way he could.

From a safe distance, Fire Lady Ursa observed the former General Iroh try his best to destroy her son. She had been hurt incredibly when Zuko had refused to talk to her and had taken a step back when she tried to hug him.

She had also been horrified when she had seen the scar on Zuko's face. She had heard the tales, and had been told who had inflicted such a cruel punishment on her son, but she couldn't imagine how extensive the damage had been.

She cursed the dark haired bounty hunter when remembering the cruel nickname she had used when talking about the Prince.

'Scarface.' Ursa thought. 'Next time I see you, bounty hunter, you will never say those words again.'

Her eyes widened when she saw how close the flames were getting to her son; and much like Iroh, she did not understand why her son was not firing back. There was something different in the young man she was seeing, and it seemed her discomfort was slowly extending to Iroh.

"Prince Zuko." Iroh said, his voice considerably softer than before. "Is there a reason for this?"

Zuko did not reply; the former Prince kept jumping and avoiding every attack his uncle sent his way. In a second, Iroh turned his eyes to look at his companion, and found Ursa's eyes locked with his.

'Now.' Zuko thought, as he focused his power again, in the same way he did when creating lighting. But his intent was not to use something so dangerous against his only father figure; his intention was to concentrate all his power in a small and fast burst of power shot directly at a vital point in the enemy's body.

Aiming at his uncle's left shoulder, whilst twirling in middle air, was proving to be an almost impossible task, but he had only one shot. That slight distraction on his uncle's concentration was what he had been looking for since they began sparring.

Narrowing his eyes, Zuko released the power he had gathered in his right hand, hoping his aim was correct and wouldn't end murdering or gravely injuring his uncle.

The shot of fire was like a thin arrow, the heat giving it a bluish hue, similar to those created by Azula.

Iroh's attention was brought back to the moment, his eyes widening when he finally realized what the whole intention of the exercise was, and tried to move out of the way of the deadly fire arrow.

Iroh closed his eyes when the narrow shot of flame grazed his shoulder and the heat burned his right ear. Had the pain not shot so fast through his entire body, Iroh would have been impressed by the sheer power and the recklessness of Zuko's plan.

Fire Lady Ursa gasped, and quickly jumped from her position above the cliffwhere she had been standing, and skidded down to where Iroh had fallen.

"Zuko! What were you thinking?!" She admonished as she rushed to the side of the Dragon of the West. Zuko did not feel like answering; both from the anger he was still feeling and from the exhaustion of the intense amount of physical effort he'd just undergone.

"I'm alright, Ursa." Iroh said, as he slowly sat up, his shoulder slightly smoking.

"It's a deep burn." Ursa said. "That was very dangerous."

"He wasn't aiming to kill." Iroh replied. "At least I hope that was not his intention. Now I understand."

"You understand what?" Ursa asked.

"What he was doing." Iroh answered, looking at his injured shoulder and feeling his ear throb from pain. "He was using this as an exercise to tire me and find an opening. It's a dangerous plan, but it worked. Had I been another enemy, I'm certain Zuko would have pointed at the heart. No one could survive that."

"You're telling me my son is training to become a murderer?" Ursa said, turning her face to look at her son, sitting beneath the shade of a tree and breathing hard.

"He's training to have what it takes to incapacitate an enemy." Iroh sighed. "And if it comes to it, to kill him."

"That's not right." Ursa muttered, turning her gaze back to Iroh. "I did not raise my son to become a murderer."

"What you did that night," Iroh whispered, "defined Zuko as the heir to the Fire Nation Crown. We are in war, Ursa, what do you think Zuko would have done as Fire Lord?"

Ursa closed her eyes. She shook her head, and when she opened her eyes, serenity had returned to her face.

"I'll have my chance to talk to him." she said. "Now we have to get that injury in your shoulder healed."

"He really got me, didn't he?" Iroh asked, his voice a mixture of pride and enjoyment.

"Yes, he did." Ursa replied, her voice not as excited as Iroh's. "But he could have also killed you. I have to talk to him."

"Ursa." Iroh softly said. "He's still angry. You may want to give him a chance to…"

"I have not spoken to my son in years, Iroh." Ursa interrupted. "And I'm still his mother. I still have some say in what he does."

Fire Lady Ursa stood up, helped Iroh stand, and walked to where Zuko was still sitting. When she approached him, she noticed his heavy breathing, and the small burns in both his body and clothes.

"We need to talk, Zuko." She said, trying to keep her voice calm. "What you just did was very dangerous, both to you and to your uncle. You should have…"

"You want to talk?" Zuko said, as he stood up. "Talk to my uncle. You two seem to be very good at it."

The Prince walked past his mother, not bothering to look her in the eye, and headed towards his uncle.

"Take as much time as you need to heal your wounds." Zuko coldly said as he reached his uncle. "When you're up to it, I expect you to continue sparring with me."

"Zuko, this is far too dangerous…"

"I may be have been exiled." Zuko interrupted. "I might have betrayed too many people. I may have done several things I'm not proud of, but I'm still the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. I expect you to follow all those advices you gave me while growing up. Rest and get that injury looked at. I will continue my training and expect you to assist me as soon as possible."

Zuko walked away from his uncle and his mother, feeling their eyes boring twin holes in the back of his head; but he wouldn't dare to turn back.

When he was sure he was out of their sight, he ran towards the river as fast as he could, tears streaming down his one uninjured eye.

--

Iroh slowly walked to the place where Ursa had stayed immobile. The Dragon of the West had heard the words Zuko had told his mother, and while they seemed harsh, he was aware of the turmoil the young Prince was surely feeling.

"Ursa…" Iroh cautiously said. "What he said… He's surely confused and angry. It's been a long time since you last saw him, and all the thing's he's been through; all the things he's seen, have changed him."

"He's still my son, Iroh." Ursa replied. "I need to explain to him what happened, why I did what I had to do that night. I need him to understand."

"I don't think he's ready to understand." Iroh shook his head. "Or even ready to listen calmly. Zuko has always followed his impulses, and they don't always lead him to the right direction, nor have the results he expected."

"You didn't tell me…" Ursa said.

"What?" Iroh asked.

"His scar, Iroh." Ursa answered, her eyes seemingly very, very far away. "You told me his father had punished him, but you never told me to what extent."

"What would you have done had I told you the entire truth?" Iroh again asked. "If you had tried to reach him in any way, both of you would have lost your heads. Zuko may not understand now why things happened the way they did, but I hope someday he'll manage to come to terms with what happened."

"I abandoned him, Iroh." Ursa said. "That's all he must be thinking now."

"You left so he could live." Iroh said. "I can understand now what happened. I may have lost my father, but the pain of losing my son was even greater. No father should outlive his son. Perhaps Zuko will listen to us one day and let us explain."

"One day." Ursa nodded. "Now, let's take a look at that injured shoulder, and perhaps you can explaintome why my son is wearing a Water Tribe pendant tied around his wrist."

Zuko sat down once again in front of the river, hugging his knees, burying his face in his legs. He was shaking and crying freely. He hated feeling so lost, so confused and so useless.

But most of all he hated the feeling of betrayal from the two people he loved the most. He had placed all his faith in the memory of his mother; who had clearly loved him and he had loved her back, and in the man who taught him everything he knew.

Now he had discovered those two had lied to him all the time, and the sense of guilt he had been feeling was slowly disappearing, replaced by a feeling of loneliness.More tears kept flowing from the eye that could shed them, and he hated that his left eye could not. It was another reminder of all his mistakes, and worst of all, it always hurt. So he hugged his legs tighter, let out a muffled scream, and hoped that for once he wouldn't feel so alone.

**End of Chapter**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**A/N:** I apologize for not updating sooner. I hope you have not lost interest in this story. I will try to post more chapters in a regular span of time. Thanks to Rosey for her great help and thank you all for still reading.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar…, belongs to Nickelodeon.

--  
**Inner Storm**

Air was getting heavier in the Southern Air temple; a storm was forming above the old monastery. The weather seemed to react to the tension of the past few days, which was getting to each member of the small family the Avatar had gathered; and fights were becoming part of their routine.

Gathered around a small fire; seeking warmth, each one of them sat trying to be as far away as possible from the other; save for Sokka and Suki, who were doing their best to keep them all together by telling stories or making attempts to lighten up the mood.

But it wasn't working at all; like it hadn't worked before.

That night, as every other night before, Katara was the first to leave the group as everyone was getting ready to go to sleep; to isolate herself – and unknown to them all- to try to vent all her frustrations.

As if it were adjusting to her mood, rain kept pouring over them for hours; and somehow the howling wind and the sharp drops of water seemed to sooth her. It comforted her in a way - to be bathed in her element.

Even before she knew she was a Water Bender, rain had somehow always helped her sort out her feelings. It was likely that she was letting her natural affinity to water wash away her problems, as it had done in the past. This time didn't seem to work as she hoped.

Every little thing that happened around her seemed to set her off against her small family. And it was starting to get to her. She had not asked for more responsibilities. She didn't want to be the mature one - the one with the burden of always giving the bad news or the one to be taking care of the others. She wasn't the elder one in the family; she wasn't the Avatar, and she surely hadn't been raised like Toph. She didn't have the training Suki had, and even though she hated the very thought of it, she wasn't as sure of herself and what her destiny was as Zuko seemed to be.

Tears streamed down her face, mixed with the drops of water slowly falling from the sky, and she wished for one day of peace. Ever since her mother had died – and she hadn't even been able to say goodbye to her- she had slowly tried to toughen herself up. Her personality was all a cover, and it was starting to crumble under the pressure, leaving her with emotions she hadn't allowed herself to feel for the last ten years.

She had tried to be quiet the first times she'd woken up in the middle of the night, but by then she knew it was useless to try to hide. Toph was almost impossible to sneak past – and she was still amazed by the fact Zuko had managed to do so- and even Suki seemed to be always on the lookout. Her brother had woken up once because she had tripped over his unconscious form, and even Aang had followed her quietly to check up on her.

It made her feel even weaker and other emotions that were foreign to her. She was on the verge of an emotional breakdown, and now the others wanted to make her feel better, in their own weird way. It was as if they didn't understand. Was it so hard? Was it so difficult for them to get the situation? Were they so unaware of the danger they were in?

Were they so clueless about what was really eating her up?

Or maybe she was merely overreacting. It had been days and they hadn't seen the slightest trace of any Fire Nation soldier, but that didn't mean they could afford to be careless. Zuko alone had kept them on their toes for months, always appearing when they least expected it.

Katara felt something stir in the water surrounding her, and she sighed, knowing it was someone's turn to try to cheer her up. When it rained, she could use the water around her as a sort of expanded sense, guessing that was how Toph 'saw' using her abilities. It was strange but exhilarating at the same time, and she had also learned how to identify who it was by the way they moved under the rain.

"What is it, Aang?" She asked, without turning around, already knowing who it was. Toph was right; Aang seemed to tiptoe instead of walking.

"Uhm, just wanting to know how you were…" Aang said, now shuffling his feet. Katara smiled. Aang was always so predictable. "You, uh, didn't look too well during dinner and…"

"Wasn't today Sokka's turn?" Katara interrupted.

"Technically, yes, but…" Aang turned red. "I mean, no, it wasn't anybody's turn. I just wanted to, uh, y'know, see how you are since you haven't been sleeping too much lately and…"

"It's alright, Aang." Katara said, knowing there was no point in trying to explain something they wouldn't understand. "I just wanted to stand in the rain for a while."

"You…you're going to catch a cold that way." Aang insisted. "And I don't want to go looking for frozen frogs again."

That brought a small grin to Katara's face.

"Besides, that looks like a rather large storm brewing up." Aang said, looking into the dark skies above.

"Don't worry, Aang, I won't be long. I'm not also looking forward to waking up with a frog inside my mouth."

"Well, then, uh, we should go back to the fire, y'know, warmth?" Aang said. "Where the others are?"

"I'll be there in a while." Katara said, turning her head away from Aang's piercing gaze. "I promise."

Aang slowly walked away, but stopped, and looked at Katara's back.

"We're just worried." He softly said. "And we don't know what to do."

Katara pretended to not hear over the howling wind, and waited until Aang went back inside the temple to continue crying. What was so hard for them to understand? She needed some time alone. She couldn't keep worrying about everything and watching over everyone else. She didn't sign on to take care of them; she was a master Water Bender, after all, and she still had to keep everyone in check.

It wasn't fair. She guessed she was being selfish, but she was tired of losing every thing she cared about. She wanted to take care of herself for once, instead of always placing everyone else before her. She was tired of watching all of them bleed.

There was something she needed to do, before she lost control of herself, and broke down.

Katara did not understand, but she guessed it had something to do with Zuko, and the Fire Nation soldier who'd taken her mother away from her. Perhaps, deep within her heart, she harbored a deep hatred towards anyone who came from the Fire Nation. But that also didn't seem right, since she had met other Fire Nation people, and none of them managed to bother her as Zuko did.

Or more likely, she hated the fact that she always kept warning their group against outside threats, and no one listened to her. She knew she had also trusted too much, and had paid a dear cost for that very trust. At first she believed in Jet, and what a maniac that boy had turned out to be. Then she trusted the very Prince of the Fire Nation, and now he had turned his back on them, as he did before.

Confusing thoughts kept running wild through her head and she figured there was no use to hide her feelings anymore. Instinctively knowing when lightning and thunder would show, she waited for the right time, and screamed with all her strength in synch with the thunder.

The scream was raw and filled with pain. It was filled with rage she had not felt before; a sense of loss and hate mixed in her voice. She kept screaming with every following thunder until the storm slowly dissipated.

Feeling exhausted and like a fool for letting her feelings get the best of her, Katara knelt down, soaked and too tired to cry anymore.

"Why is this happening to me?" She whispered, closing her hand, and punching the wet ground in front of her. "Why can't I control myself?"

She closed her eyes and sighed, unable to find the answer on her own, with only one thought on her mind.

'Damn you, Prince of the Fire Nation.' She thought as she slammed her fist on the ground one more time. 'The one time I actually need you, you're not here.'

Sighing one more time, Katara slowly stood up, feeling the need to sleep again. She dragged her feet, not caring if her clothes were filled with mud, her eyes swollen and her throat raw.

"Heard you scream, Princess." Toph whispered as Katara plopped right besides her. "Want to destroy something?"

"Not yet." Katara whispered back. "I need some information before, and there's something that can help me get it."

"Don't you mean someone?" Toph kept her voice quiet and steady. She knew how volatile Katara had become and didn't want to set her off again.

"You think you're very smart, don't you? And you presume too much." Katara softly replied. "But yes, there is someone I want to find, or at least someone close to him."

"I don't want to sound mean or anything, but do you want 'Twinkle toes' and the others to know?" Toph asked.

"I'm not sure they'd understand." The Water Bender said. "I think the only one who could understand is gone."

"So that's why we're going to find him, right?" Toph said, a smile appearing on her face.

"Either him or any Fire Nation soldier." Katara nodded even though she knew Toph couldn't see her. "But I don't think any of them would be very willing to talk. If you know what I mean; out of them all, I believe you're the only one who could understand."

"That doesn't sound like you, Princess." Toph said. "But can't really say I'm surprised, though. I feared you would throw an ice shard through Zuko's throat any day now."

"I don't want to get you into any trouble, Toph." Katara replied, her voice filled with shame. "This is something I have to do on my own. "I can't ask any of you to…"

"I understand the feeling of helplessness." Toph interrupted. "I get the concept of feeling powerless and not knowing where to direct my anger. I can help you. That is, if you want me to."

Katara remained in silence for a long time, knowing Toph was expecting an answer, and finally closed her eyes.

"What I want to do, won't be pretty; and what you'll hear won't be pleasant at all." Katara warned Toph. "I'm stepping closer to the edge every day, Toph, and I don't like where I'm heading."

"This has to do with that blood bending thing you learned?" Toph replied.

"I know how to fight." Katara softly said. "I know my limits, Toph. Water is my element - but blood- I don't know how to control that, and don't know my limits there. Don't want to lose control and do something I will regret for the rest of my life."

"I completely get you." Toph said. "The question now is; how far are you willing to go?"

"As far as I need to, Toph." Katara answered. "If I don't get this off my chest, I won't be very helpful in the battle ahead."

"I'm with you all the way, Princess." Toph yawned.

"We leave before the sun rises tomorrow." Katara whispered. "We'll have to be fast and travel by water, so no one can follow us."

"Got it." Toph nodded.

"We've got to find a Fire Nation Soldier." Katara said, as exhaustion began to creep on her. "Hopefully, we'll find their Prince first."

**End of Chapter**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12  
**

**A/N:** Chapter twelve of the series. Hope you enjoy it. Thanks to Rosey for her help.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar…, belongs to Nickelodeon.

--  
**The Fire Within**

Burned soil was suddenly filled with Zuko's earlier breakfast.

He had asked for Iroh's toughest method of training, and the Dragon of the West had not disappointed him. His scarred left eye was now completely closed due to a fierce punch his uncle had delivered; yet Zuko had not complained at all.

"Is that all you have for the day, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked, all trace of affection in his voice gone. "Should we stop the session for the day?"

"Not yet, General Iroh." Zuko replied and spat blood aside. It was not a pleasant taste after throwing up. He wondered how much damage he could sustain until he achieved his goal.

"Then stand up." Iroh said as he launched several fireballs at Zuko's feet.

More out of instinct than training, Zuko barely jumped out of the way, while he once again tried to focus all his power on the tips of his fingers.

A concentrated, yet short, beam of blue flame shot from his fingers; yet it completely missed his uncle by far.

"You're not at full strength for the day." Iroh said, his voice now a bit softer. "You should rest and allow your wounds to fully heal."

Zuko was kneeling down, still breathing hard, and the need to throw up once again gagging his throat. Looking down to his own hands, he noticed the burnt bandages his mother had placed while he was unconscious the night before. Even though he didn't want to admit it, his uncle was right; if he didn't stop and heal, he wouldn't be of use to anyone.

Iroh approached his nephew and looked at him the way he had before, with a mixture of pride and love, and offered his hand.

"Stand up, Prince Zuko." Iroh said with a smile. "It was a good spar for the day."

Something fierce burned inside Zuko's heart, the passion he had lost, and he smiled as he felt it running through his veins.

Iroh didn't have the chance to react when Zuko quickly stood up and punched Iroh in the face as hard as he could. The Dragon of the West didn't even have the chance to block the surprising attack, and fell down backwards, almost unconscious.

"I will decide when training is over." Zuko said, barely able to stand straight. "If you're not up to it, then rest, General Iroh. I shall continue without your assistance."

Iroh looked up at his nephew, more hurt by his words than by the punch, and nodded.

"If that's what you wish, Prince Zuko." Iroh replied. "But remember; an exhausted warrior is a useless warrior. A fighter who doesn't control himself can't control his power."

"A warrior does not quit, even if he has lost everything he holds dear." Zuko shot back, feeling the need to hurt his uncle. "A warrior doesn't lie, neither to himself nor to others. A warrior has honor."

"True." Iroh said, his eyes looking down. "Yet, control over one's power is one thing, young Prince; control over emotions is a different thing entirely."

"Follow your advice, General." Zuko replied as he turned his back on his uncle. "Rest and be ready at the same time and the same place tomorrow morning."

"Very well, Prince Zuko, I will meet you there." Iroh said, his eyes still looking down. What Zuko had implied about his defeat in Ba Sing Se, and the barb about Lu Teng, had hurt.

"You shouldn't let him talk to you like that." Fire Lady Ursa said as she slowly approached Iroh, who was still sitting on the ground.

"He's in turmoil, Ursa." Iroh replied, feeling his eye swelling. "And yet…"

"He had never hurt you intentionally." Ursa said, kneeling down to check Iroh's eye. "Am I right?"

"He has this uncontrollable temper, but he had never exploded in such a way." Iroh sighed. "These new ideas he's contemplating...this plot he's asked me to help him with...he's asking me to teach him to kill, Ursa; something I didn't teach my own son."

Ursa took a steak out of a bag and placed it over Iroh's swelling eye.

"What is this?" Iroh asked.

"Dinner." Ursa replied with a smile.

Zuko stumbled to what he had improvised as a small refuge in the middle of the forest. It was a rudimentary place where he could rest, both mentally and physically. Besides, he had stayed before in worse places.

Yet it was worse this time. The two people in the world he loved the most were within his reach, and he was willingly staying away from them, throwing a tantrum worthy of a spoiled prince.

He all but fell face down on the piece of cloth he had improvised as a bed, and remembered the soft bed he once had, when he was still Crown Prince of the Fire Nation.

He still proudly called himself the Prince of his country, but the horrible truth was that while he was still the Prince, he had been branded a traitor. It wasn't as easy as everyone thought it would be; the Avatar somehow defeating his father, then having every mistake forgiven and forgotten, while he became Fire Lord Zuko.

Closing his eye, he wished he had been hit on his good eye, instead of the scarred one. It still hurt sometimes, when it was cold, and his uncle had caught him with a right cross he didn't think the old man could deliver.

Sighing, he opened his eye, and looked at his hands. What his uncle had said was true-- they were damaged and blood was dripping from his fingers. It hurt like hell, but he had learned how to deal with pain before, instead of dealing with emotions.

Unconsciously, he reached out for the blue pendant, and stared at it. It was a beautifully carved piece of stone, and he wondered how much time it had taken to make something so magnificent.

'Why is this thing so important to you?' Zuko thought. 'Who did it belong to? You told me you'd lost your mother to the Fire Nation. Is that why you hate me so much?'

Still looking at the pendant, Zuko realized he should eat, or at least drink some water. But he couldn't move at all; it felt as if someone had dropped a couple of burning rocks over his entire body. He wondered how long he could last if he continued like that; but he had to reach and learn his limits, if he was to face his sister and father in combat.

'Water.' He thought as he closed his eye. 'The element that gives life. Fire. The element that destroys. Why are you so damaged? Why do you hate me so much?'

Prince Zuko fell unconscious, and dreamed the same thing again - an angry pair of blue eyes staring at him.

"Do you think he will be alright over there?" Ursa asked.

"Wait a couple of minutes and we can go see if he's unconscious already." Iroh replied as he took a sip of his tea. "I'm impressed. He's really strong."

"You say it as if you're proud he knocked you down with a cheap shot." Ursa sounded angry as she continued preparing dinner.

"He caught me by surprise." Iroh smiled. "Everything is fair in war and love."

"I don't care." Ursa replied. "You're still his uncle, and from what I've heard, the only father figure he's had for the past few years. He shouldn't have done that."

"He needs to get everything out of his system." Iroh sighed. "He was raised to be the next Fire Lord, but every day of his life he's been overshadowed by his younger sister. I don't think that must have been very pleasant."

"I love him anyway." Ursa said. "I don't care if Azula is a better fire bender. I didn't care if he was weaker than she was. I don't care if he's not as powerful as she is now. I certainly didn't want him to become what he is now."

"And what's that?" Iroh asked as Ursa served their dinner in very simple plates.

"A younger version of his father." Ursa softly said. "Cold, emotionless, fierce-- and determined to achieve what he wants; not mattering who or what he destroys in the process."

**  
**"One way or the other, we all turn into our fathers." Iroh said, already chewing the steak Ursa had prepared. "I tried to prevent that from happening, but Zuko has seen too many things, and experienced many more. His heart and his mind are very fragile right now. I guess this is his way of dealing with the pain he's feeling now."

"I understand, I think." Ursa replied, eating slowly. "You still have not told me why he's wearing that Water Tribe Pendant."

"One of the Avatar's friends wears it." Iroh answered. "It's a betrothal gift according to their traditions. I don't know why that girl wore it, since she seemed so young."

"Is she pretty?" Ursa asked, causing Iroh to stop chewing and to stare at her eyes.

"What does that have to do with this?" Iroh asked after he swallowed.

"Give me a reason, Iroh." Ursa demanded. "Zuko was timid around girls when he was younger. When he was a boy, there was a girl he seemed interested in, one of Azula's friends."

"Mai." Iroh said. "Daughter of one of the several nobles my brother gave conquered lands to."

"Yes, I remember her." Ursa smiled. "The quiet and reserved one; not like the other girl, who was always jumping around. I wonder what happened to that one."

"I heard Zuko had begun a relationship with this girl Mai." Iroh said as he swallowed the last piece of his dinner. "So I'm as confused as you are as to why he has that pendant with him."

"Do you think he likes this girl?" Ursa asked. "This Water Tribe girl?"

"I don't know." Iroh said, patting his stomach. "I have only seen her a couple of times, and she was fighting Zuko, so I really don't know."

"Still, it's interesting, don't you think?" Ursa asked, her eyes looking in the direction they both knew Zuko was. "Fire and water."

"What do you mean?" Iroh asked.

"Nothing." Ursa smiled. "Let's go check on him. I don't want him to drown in his own blood."

True to his roots, Zuko woke up as the sun rose - every inch of his body aching. But something had been different in his usual dreams of pain and confusion. This time, there was something bothering him on an entirely different level.

Kneeling –and feeling more pain- he kept trying to catch the fleeting memory slowly vanishing from his mind. What was it? Zuko managed to sit down without his head spinning, and he realized his mother and uncle had paid him a visit in the night, as they usually did. His bandages were new, and some weird smelling herbs were smeared over his more severe wounds.

Zuko sighed. It never mattered how hard he tried; he always ended up letting someone down, or lashing out against those who didn't deserve it. His left eye still ached, but he could open it up a bit, and he caught something with the corner of his eyes.

Food had been left for him, as well as water, while he was unconscious. Zuko rubbed his face and more guilt washed over him. It didn't matter how rude he would be to them, they would still take care of him, not caring about what he did or what he said.

He slowly ate as he decided to listen to his mind for once; instead of letting his impulses control him. The fresh water felt very good on his parched throat, and his stomach welcomed the simple, yet satisfying, meal.

Standing up, he decided he had abused his body enough, and that he had been wasting time hurting himself and his mother. A new determination entered his mind when he finally remembered what he'd dreamed about. Picking up his stuff, he carefully packed them in his duffel bag, and walked to where he was sure his uncle was already waiting.

True to it, General Iroh was already prepared to spar, if the Prince was also ready to.

"Are you feeling well enough to train today, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked carefully. He wasn't sure what would set off Zuko these days.

"No." Zuko replied. "I think we have trained enough. I don't think I can learn more without hurting my body or killing you."

The coldness in Zuko's voice hurt Iroh more than the Prince could imagine, but he merely nodded.

"There's something I need to discuss with you, General Iroh." Zuko said. "And I need to speak to moth… to Fire Lady Ursa, as well."

Iroh seemed surprised, but he nodded again and walked inside the small house. Moments later, both Iroh and a surprised Ursa stepped out into the sun.

"What is it you want to discuss with us?" Iroh asked, worrying that his nephew would hurt them again with his words.

"I want to thank both of you." Zuko suddenly said. "I understand… I know you went through several sacrifices in order to save me and help me."

Zuko turned to look into his mother's eyes, and what he saw there made him feel like a small child again, but he had to speak his mind.

"I thank you for sacrificing the life you had led as Fire Lady for my safety." Zuko said. "I owe my life to you, or so I've heard, so thank you for making me the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation."

Before Ursa could reply, Zuko turned to look at Iroh, and cringed when he saw the bruised eye.

"Thank you as well, General Iroh." Zuko said. "For standing by my side when I was exiled; and for teaching me everything I know. But most of all, thank you for being the father I now realize I never had."

Zuko surprised them even more when he carefully knelt down, placed his meager belongings in front of him, and lowered his face.

"And I'm sorry for many things." Zuko said. "I apologize for not being the Prince you expected me to be, or the noble man you wanted me to become. I can't express with words how remorseful I am for betraying you, Uncle, and for ignoring you for so long, Mother."

When both Ursa and Iroh stepped closer to express their feelings, Zuko spoke again.

"But these thoughts led me to another conclusion I had not bothered to acknowledge." Zuko said. "I have allowed others to sacrifice themselves in order to help me, and frankly, I am tired of that situation."

Finally, Zuko raised his face, and stared into the eyes of his uncle.

"I know how powerful you are." Zuko said, and then turned to look at his mother. "And I know how smart you are."

"Where are you going with this?" Iroh asked, suddenly not feeling very certain about what was going through his nephew's mind.

"Before I decide to completely betray and destroy my own country, there are debts, and explanations I must give." Zuko said as he slowly stood up.

"There are some who helped me when I had major problems." Zuko said. "And I owe them at least my efforts to help them back."

"Who are they?" Ursa asked. "And what do you want us to do?"

"I want to pay another visit to the Boiling Rock." Zuko said. "And free Ty Lee and Mai."

**End of Chapter**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13  
**

**A/N:** Sorry again for the delay, but here's chapter thirteen. Thanks a lot to Rosey for her great help.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar…, belongs to Nickelodeon.

--

**Family**

"I still do not understand why we're doing this." Iroh said, as he swatted a mosquito out of the way, clearly annoyed with the situation.

"I asked for your help." Zuko replied, sweating, as he kept rowing the small boat they had acquired. "Maybe you could do so instead of complaining."

"You asked me to almost murder you a couple of days ago." Iroh reminded his nephew.  
"Now you ask me to enter the most secure prison of the Fire Nation, which is like suicide, to rescue someone who I remember was loyal to Azula."

"I told you." Zuko answered between gritting teeth. "She helped me- I help her- that's how it is."

Next to Iroh, Fire Lady Ursa silently observed the two arguing, clenching and unclenching her hands. She was still insecureabout where she stood in terms of Zuko's emotions; so she decided to remain silent and merely watch them, but it was getting to a point where she could clearly see her son was about to burst.

"Why risk your life again?" Ursa finally asked. "You already went there and barely managed to leave once. Why take another chance?"

"It's not about destiny, if that's what you're both thinking; so forget it." Zuko said. "She risked her life, standing against Azula, in order to help me escape. The way I see it, I owe her my life, and I'm embarrassed that I left her behind to face my sister's wrath."

"What could you have done?" Iroh asked. "Stay behind and face Azula? I'm not criticizing your abilities, Nephew, but Azula is reckless and unpredictable."

"That is no excuse." Zuko stated. "If she took a stance against my sister, without being a Fire Bender, then she deserved better. So does Ty Lee."

"They were once Azula's best friends; weren't they?" Ursa asked. Zuko merely nodded.  
"Then why would they betray her?"

Both Zuko and Iroh turned to look at her.

"I know what my daughter has become." Ursa replied with a stern face. "What I ask is…why would they betray her now? What changed?"

**  
**"Mai was probably protecting me." Zuko almost growled. "It's likely Ty Lee took Mai's position against Azula."

"This Mai, besides being someone you want to help, meant something more to you?" Ursa asked.

"She was my girlfriend." Zuko dryly answered.

"Was?" Both Iroh and Ursa asked at the same time.

"I left her behind as I escaped." Zuko's voice remained flat. "What do you think?"

Ursa looked directly at Iroh's eyes. The Dragon of the West turned his face, and Ursa decided to ask about the thing that had kept her attention for the last days.

"Does it have anything to do with the necklace you have tied around your wrist?" Ursa finally asked.

"No." Zuko did not turn around as he answered. "It's not what you two are thinking."

"How can you know what we're thinking?" Iroh asked.

"Because you know who this necklace belongs to." Zuko replied. "And you think I am wearing it as a memento, or a way to remember her, but it's not that simple."  
"We never said it was simple." Ursa said. "I'm just curious."

"I don't know what to feel about anything anymore." Zuko rowed harder. "I used to think I had everything figured out. That my destiny was now clear to me, that my mission in life was within my reach, but I was wrong."

"It's never easy to know where we stand in this life." Iroh said. "You're still young, Zuko; and you have us now to help you. We're your family."

"You are my relatives." Zuko nearly growled. "But we are not a family. Families do not try to kill each other, they do not betray one another, and they certainly do not disappear in the middle of the night. You are my blood, my kin, but we certainly are not a family."

"Why are you so bitter?" Ursa asked. "Please talk to us."

"I'm not in the mood to talk right now." Zuko did turn around to look into his mother's eyes. "I don't want to get distracted right now. My head is a mess, I don't know what I am doing, and don't understand what I'm feeling. If I want this to work, I need to know what I'm capable of doing, and what my limits are."

"You still have not taken a life with your own hands." Iroh said. "You tricked me into teaching you how – which I still don't like – and we are going into what seems like a suicide mission."

"I know it won't be a suicide mission." Zuko sounded sure of what he was saying. "I walked into the Boiling Rock with a Water Tribe idiot, and not only freed those we were looking for, but managed to get out of there."

"You were lucky, then, to come out of there unscathed." Iroh replied with a frown in his face.

"I wasn't lucky**,** and you know it. That's why we're going back there - to help those who helped me." Zuko said. "Besides, I know what you're capable of doing. You will be of much better assistance than that Water Tribe peasant."

"What do you mean?" Ursa asked.

"When I left the Fire Nation, I went to try and free Uncle Iroh, but he was already gone." Zuko answered. "The one guard I found awake, told me that you were like a one man army, even when the sun was covered."

"That's different." Iroh coughed. "Leaving a prison where the guards are idiots is easy; going to a prison you've already been to, managed to escape and anger everyone there, is very close to being insane."

"I think I already crossed that line a long time ago." Zuko sadly said. "I'm working on instinct, now, and I know you two can help me. The Dragon of the West and Fire Lady Ursa, one is powerful enough, and the other is smarter than most people I know."

"Why do you say that?" Ursa felt unsure about her son's comment. "What are you implying?"

"You both know what I'm saying." Zuko replied. "And I do not imply things I already know about."

"You presume too much, young man; and remember I'm still your mother." Ursa tried to use a stern tone.

"I know it." Zuko sighed. "I'm glad to see you again, but with all honesty, I don't know how to deal with you right now. I know what you can do, and I appreciate why you're doing it; but right now I need you to do what you're best at, and forget about everything else."

Ursa and Iroh remained in silence for a long time, the only sound coming from the forest around them, and the splashing of the oars in the water.

"Do you even have a plan?" Iroh asked.

"I'm making this up as I go." Zuko honestly answered. "But mostly… we get there, we shoot a couple bolts of lightning, and hope mother has the time to find where Mai and Ty Lee are."

"That's your plan?" Iroh asked. "I think I taught you better than that."

"If we don't catch them by surprise, we'll never get a chance to get inside, and Mai and Ty Lee will rot in there." Zuko said. "Either they reinforced the whole place while they repaired everything we destroyed the last time, or Azula herself is guarding the prison. I think Azula has other things to worry about than spending her time waiting for me."

"She'll be looking for you and the Avatar." Iroh said. "What if she finds him?"

"That's why I'm doing this thing you call suicide." Zuko said. "If Azula finds them, before I have the chance to light the fuse, then what happens?"

"What do you mean?" Iroh asked. "It is the Avatar's destiny to end the war."

"And what is Azula's destiny?" Zuko asked back. "What if her fate is to kill the Avatar and become the ruler of the world? Have you thought about that?"

For once, Iroh did not have an answer for that question. He seemed to ponder it for a while, his eyes losing focus for a while, and then turning to look back at his nephew.

"I have mentioned before my trip to the spirit world." Iroh said. "I do not remember the exact events that led me to that point; but being there, even if it was for a moment, left me with more knowledge than I could ever hope to have in a lifetime."

The Dragon of the West sighed one more time, rubbed his eyes, and continued speaking.

"I am not speaking about knowing what will happen in the future." Iroh remained calm. "But I instinctively know when, and how, things will fall exactly into the place they belong. I can see things no one else can, feel the flow of life, and know when to act and when to wait."

"So tell me, Uncle, have things worked out the way you felt them?" Zuko asked.

"No, not exactly, but you know that already." Iroh sighed. "I didn't feel that my son would lose his life for his country, as I didn't know you would turn your back on me, for that same country."

"I have already apologized…"

"It's not about that." Iroh interrupted Zuko. "I didn't know what my own son's destiny was, and right now, I'm not so sure what yours is. I could feel Azula was not, how to say, balanced right from the moment I first held her in my arms. You two are somehow linked, destined to do something of great importance - ying and yang. But right now, I don't know which one of you is which. The lines are getting blurred and I don't know what to do, or what to feel, or how to get rid of this confusion."

"Welcome to my world." Zuko bitterly said. "But it's the same for you, Uncle, and my father. You too are like ying and yang, opposites in almost every way, and he stole your birthright. Are we destined to fight each other till one of us is dead? Or join forces and destroy the world?"

"I'm sorry, but I have to interrupt you two." Ursa suddenly said. "What happened that night, when I saved your life and robbed you of your birthright, I thought I was doing the right thing. I don't regret my decision, Zuko, and I'm sorry Iroh. If I had the chance to do it all over again, I'd do the same thing. Perhaps my actions have messed the flow you spoke about before, Iroh, but I made a choice that night. It seems Zuko has made up his mind about this. We cannot rely on destiny, we can only lead our lives the way we consider best, and right now Zuko needs us. What's your answer, Dragon of the West?"

Iroh shook his head. Sighing, he turned to the skies, muttering his son's name.

"I don't like how this is unfolding." Iroh softly spoke. "I don't know if we are traitors anymore, or if our country betrayed us before, by trying to take over the world. I thought I had all figured out. Maybe I still think I do. All I know is that right now, my choice and fate, is to walk with you wherever you're going."

For the first time in a long time, Zuko smiled, and then turned to look at his mother.

"I'm now here as well." Ursa said. "I have lost too many years of your life. I do not intend to lose more."

The three nodded and followed the course of the river for the next hours in comfortable silence. A couple of hours later, the water's color began to change, as well as the heat and the scent of the river.

"I do believe we're getting closer." Iroh said. "We should get off the boat now."

"We need to reach higher ground." Zuko replied as he changed the direction of the boat. "We only need an opening, and then the three of us will get inside - and hope five of us leave the Boiling Rock."

**End of Chapter**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**A/N: **Chapter fourteen of the series. Another apology for taking so long to update; I'll try to be more productive from now on. Once again, thanks to my friend Rosey for her help proofreading this chapter.

**Disclaimer: **Avatar… belongs to Nickelodeon

--  
Two girls with Fire Nation attire walked aimlessly through the nearest town they'd found while on their quest for information.

Thicker than Blood

The red colored clothes they wore clashed with the color of their skin and of their eyes. It was rare to see Fire Nation people with lighter skin and clear blue eyes; as well as a darker tone of skin and bright blue eyes.

"I believe this is what many refer to as 'walking into the wolf's mouth', don't you think, Katara?"

"Hush." Katara replied. "Remember; my name here is Sapphire."

"I can't believe you still use that name Sokka came up with." Toph shook her head. "And what's my name, by the way, so I don't make a mistake?"

"I still haven't thought about it." Katara pondered the question for a while. "I don't know; what name would you like to use?"

"Something easy to remember; not something that is so obvious...no offense meant."Toph scratched her chin as she spoke**. **Toph scratched her chin as she spoke. "Something that has to do with fire, I guess?"

"This coming from someone who called herself 'The Blind Bandit'? I mean, what were you thinking?" Katara said.

"Hello? I'm blind, I was sneaking away from home, and I kicked ass." Toph replied and crossed her arms. "So don't criticize my nicknames...'Sapphire'."

"I guess we could call you by your name, though; if we don't mention your surname. We could say you come from an Earth Kingdom colony." Katara rubbed her forehead.

"Good; great ideas, you know, must run in the family." Toph sarcastically replied.

"Look, Toph, I'm one step closer to the edge and…"

"It's alright, Princess, I'm just messing with you." Toph lightly punched Katara's arm. "You need to relax a bit, 'Sapphire'; I can hear your teeth clenching all the way here."

Katara rubbed her temples with her hands, trying indeed to relax, but failing and feeling miserable.

"I'm sorry, Toph, I really am." Katara finally said. "I just don't know what to do, you know, to get rid of these feelings. I'm tired of feeling angry and confused."

"It's alright." Toph quietly replied. "I'm just worried. Ever since we lost after that whole eclipse fiasco, and Zuko arriving, you've been growing restless."

"I guess you can understand what I'm feeling." Katara said. "I just feel this frustration growing inside of me, like it's eating me inside, and all I can feel is anger and fear."

"I get it." Toph's voice remained quiet. "That's why I kept sneaking out at nights, trying to escape from my family, and releasing all through fighting. But it's only a temporary solution, Katara; the frustration remains there, and you know the only thing I did was escape from it."

"I'm not trying to escape, Toph, honestly." Katara hugged herself. "And I can't tell what I'm feeling, at least not clearly, but I'm sure of one thing: I have to face my past and get rid of this ugly thing I have inside of me."

"What does it feel like?" Toph asked. "Can you try to explain?"

"It's something that's eating me inside, creating a hole in there, and it keeps making me sadder and madder every time." Katara answered. "I need to find something to fill that hole, Toph; I don't know if it's revenge, or forgiveness, but I have to do something about it."

"And how are we going to do it? Do we have a starting point, or we're just hoping that the answer will strike us in the face?" Toph finished her question the moment Katara crashed against someone standing still in front of her. Caught distracted, Katara fell down, and angrily looked at Toph.

"You could have warned me." Katara hissed. Toph merely laughed.

"Are you two ladies alright?" The person with whom Katara had crashed turned around and offered a hand to help her up. "You didn't hurt yourself?"

Katara's first instinct was to slap the hand of the young Fire Nation soldier standing in front of her, but something appeared on her mind, and she smiled as she took the offered hand.

"I'm so sorry!" Katara said with such a sweet tone it almost made Toph gag. "I was so distracted with my friend here, and didn't notice you, standing tall in this place."

This time Toph did gag, causing Katara to slap her back, the fake smile still on her face.

"I apologize for my friend, here." Katara said. "She has…uh, allergies! Yes, allergies, she has them."

"That's common around here." The young soldier replied. "Guess we're still not used to the climate in the colonies."

Both Katara's and Toph's blood boiled at the comment, but they managed to keep their temper under control, barely.

"I was born in one of these colonies." Katara said through clenched teeth. "But my friend was indeed born in the Fire Nation's capital."

"Oh, well, that explains her allergies." The soldier said, scratching his chin.

Katara grinned for real this time, and guessed Toph felt it, as the Earth Bender took her arm.

"We're just lost." Toph finally spoke, her voice as sweet and false as Katara's. "Could you help us find our way?"

Both of them showed what they figured was their sweetest smile, but the Fire Nation soldier could only see two huge grins, making him take a step backwards.

"Uh, I guess I could help you, if you tell me what you're looking for." He replied.

'We**,** fortunately**, **found a stupid one.' Katara thought. 'Now we have to play our cards right.'

"We're looking for my friend's uncle." Katara said, turning her head around quickly, making her long hair swirl around. It obviously caught the soldier's attention, and his eyes were quickly fixed on the Water Bender's hair, and as well as her blue eyes.

"What's his name?" The soldier asked, more interested in ogling Katara, instead of paying attention to them.

"I don't remember!" Toph giggled, feeling unsettled, because of the spectacle they were both performing.

"All we know is that his flagship had a sparrow or something in their banners." Katara said, forcing herself not to lash out, and blow their cover.

"I don't remember having a sparrow in one of our banners." The soldier scratched his head. "Oh! Maybe you're talking about the Southern Raiders! They have some sort of bird on their banner. Or maybe it's a dragon. I'm really not sure, but I could lead you to the harbor!"

Katara's eye twitched, but she nodded, elbowing Toph so she would do the same.

"That would be so kind of you!" Katara's eye kept twitching. "Which way should we take?"

"Oh, it's easy." The Fire Nation soldier said, pointing his finger south. "We'll just head in that direction, go straight, and we'll get to the harbor in no time!"

As the soldier turned around, Toph began to make her move, but Katara beat her to it. The soldier's knee twisted unnaturally and he fell to the ground, gripping his leg, trying to smother a scream.

"Oh dear, are you alright?" Katara asked, all sweetness gone from her voice.

"It's nothing." The soldier replied, trying to save face. "I'm sure it's nothing, just let me get up and…"

The moment he tried to get up, the pain in his leg was greater than he could withstand, and he fell down once again.

"You shouldn't try to put weight in it." Katara said. "Maybe it would be better if a medic checked that out."

"But I can't let two lovely ladies walk alone!" The soldier replied. "That would be ungentlemanly of me!"

"Don't worry." Toph said as she walked past him. "We'll get there on our own, thanks."

"Really, thank you for your help, but you should get that leg checked." Katara said as she also walked away.

"Wait!" The soldier tried to stop them, but they were already walking away. "At least tell me your names?"

**  
**Katara and Toph ignored him, and kept walking south, in the direction the soldier had pointed to them.

"That was cold, Princess." Toph said. "I could have tripped him with a stone, or created a small hole in the ground; you didn't have to use Blood Bending to harm him."

"We got the information we needed." Katara replied. "He wasn't useful to us anymore."

"You know, as much as you claim to hate Zuko, you're beginning to sound like him more and more." Toph replied.

That stopped Katara right on her track. Toph stopped as well when she couldn't feel Katara's footsteps anymore, rendering her virtually blind and unable sense where her friend was.

"Ka…Sapphire? Where are you?" Toph asked.

"You're right." Katara whispered. "I'm beginning to act like those I resent so much, and I hadn't even realized it until now."

Katara turned around, looking at the very spot they'd left the soldier, and stared at the soldier still sitting on the ground, holding his knee in pain.  
"I can't believe…"

"Calm down, Princess, we can't undo what has been done." Toph said. "We both know that. All we can do now is use the information we just acquired, and keep going until we find what you're looking for."

"I don't know what I'm doing anymore, Toph." Katara said. "Every thing just keeps getting more and more confusing, and I'm afraid I can't control my emotions; and will do something stupid."

"We still have a choice, Princess**; **and you know it." Toph calmly said. "We can just turn around and go back; you just have to let go."

"How can I let go?" Katara replied as two tears slowly fell from her eyes. "How can I forget what happened to my mother? What happened to me? I have to find a form of closure, Toph, or else I won't be able to help Aang when the time comes."

"Then you have to make a choice right now, or elseall of these things we've done will have accomplished nothing." Toph replied. "And you know Aang and Sokka are probably looking for us right now; which means they could be flying over Fire Nation territory, making them an easy target. So, it's your call, Princess. What are we going to do now?"

"I think I've crossed a line I shouldn't have. Ever since I learned how to bend blood, I've felt strong, maybe stronger than all of you." Katara confessed. "Aang is the Avatar and can do many powerful things, even if he's not in the Avatar state. You can bend earth and bend metal, even though you can't see. Even Sokka managed to create something for himself on his own, so he could feel as an equal to us."

"You're telling me you felt less than us? Even when you were the Avatar's first teacher in Water Bending?" Toph asked. "And now you feel more than us, because you can bend our blood, and do to us what you want?"

"It sounds horrible, I know, and I hate myself for it." Katara shook her head. "I didn't want to learn it; I was forced to, and I haven't liked myself ever since. It made me feel as dangerous as a Fire Bender, as Zuko is, and I hated that. I don't want to have this power, while feeling this hate inside of me, wondering what I'm going to do with it."

"If we find this man, what are you going to do, kill him?" Toph asked. "Are you ready to do so? Stare into the eyes of that man and do to him what he did to your mother?"

"I will never know if I don't find him." Katara's voice turned harsh. "This is driving me crazy, Toph, and it all has to end. I have to do this on my own, and I will understand if you want to turn back**-- **to Aang and Sokka."

"I'm already here, Katara; I told you so." Toph replied. "All the way, Princess; I'm with you till the very end."

"There's one very important thing I want to ask you; something I need to know if you can do, if the time comes." Katara said.

"I don't like where this is going." Toph frowned.

"If--or when--we find this man and you see me about to lose control, or become a monster; you must stop me. One way or the other, can you do that, Toph?"  
Toph remained in silence for a long time, feeling Katara's wild, errant heartbeat.

"I just don't know how to answer that." Toph honestly replied. "It's all up to you, Katara, and you know it. If you use your Blood Bending, you can kill both the man you're looking for and me without much effort."

"Yes, I'm aware of it, but I'm also aware of another thing." Katara said. "You can know what I will do by my heartbeat, right?"  
Toph nodded.

"Then you will know if I cross that line, even before I do." Katara replied. "Can I trust you with this? That you will stop me if I can't?"

"I said I'd help you, didn't I?" Toph replied and began walking away. Katara sighed and followed her friend, heading towards the harbor, feeling lighter after confessing her secret fears.

Toph, on the other hand, was seriously considering what Katara had asked for her to do. She wasn't known for showing emotion, but at that moment, she was struggling to keep the tears from coming out.

'I have faith in you, Katara.' Toph thought. 'Please, please, don't disappoint me; please don't let me down.'

**End of Chapter **


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**  
****A/N:** Chapter fifteen of the series. Another apology for the long delay. Thanks to Rosey for her proofreading.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar…, belongs to Nickelodeon;

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**Thunder Strike**

A throbbing headache welcomed Prince Zuko back into consciousness, confused and unaware of what was going on, not remembering what had happened before.

The lights that suddenly flickered hurt his eyes; and a sharp sound kept painfully ringing in his ears, making him feel nauseous and sick. Trying to stand up, every thing seemed to turn upside down, making him vomit as he fell back down.

A pair of strong arms caught and dragged Zuko, grabbing his shirt, pulling him out of the smoke. Looking up, the light hurt his eyes again, but he managed to recognize the outline of his uncle's figure.

Zuko opened his mouth to speak, but did not hear anything at all; his uncle's lips were moving as well, but no noise seemed to reach his ears, save for the constant ringing.

'I can't hear you!' Zuko was trying to say, but he heard nothing coming out of his mouth. The sickness returned when Iroh straightened him up, making Zuko vomit all over again.

"I can't hear you!" Zuko screamed, making Iroh cringe, for he could listen perfectly.

"No need to shout!" Iroh said, helping the Prince stand on wobbly legs, ironically shouting at him.

Flames and smoke surrounded them, forcing the Dragon of the West to look around, trying to find a way out of their predicament.

"What happened?!" Zuko shouted again.

'Be quiet.' Iroh thought as he placed his nephew's arm over his shoulders, helping Zuko stand straight. 'I need to find your mother.'

"What happened, Uncle?!" Zuko asked again, his voice sounding raw and tired.

'I'll explain later.' Iroh thought. 'I have to find your mother first.'

Iroh looked around, seeing nothing but chaos, searching for the only person in the place not wearing fire nation clothes.

"Uncle!" Zuko shouted again, and to make the point clear, he pulled on his uncle's beard.

"Zuko! Enough!" Iroh placed his hand over the Prince's mouth and stared into his eyes.  
"I'll explain later." The Dragon of the West slowly said, hoping Zuko would understand; the Prince did understand, and nodded.

Iroh kept looking around, trying to find Ursa and realize at which point every thing went wrong.

Perhaps it was the poor planning; perhaps it was their fault, for following Zuko's wild impulses. But he was sure something had gone wrong the moment both Zuko and he shot lightning without a clear target.  
It had all seemed so simple, the way Zuko had explained it; get in, destroy every thing, and set everyone free. Getting inside had been easier than he expected, given Ursa's natural talent of fooling everyone. They were inside the Boiling Rock sooner than they hoped.

But things seemed to get a bit complicated, when security had been increased exponentially after Zuko's last visit to the prison; and neither the Prince nor his uncle were strangers to Fire Nation soldiers.

The reaction to their intrusion had been quick and swift. Terribly outnumbered, Iroh and Zuko resorted to their powerful attacks - lightning and incredibly hot bolts of fire.

Things quickly spun off control and fire seemed to flow – ironically – as water, surrounding and engulfing them all.

Iroh lost sight of Zuko but for a moment, turning his eyes to check on Ursa's situation, when he heard the enormous explosion. As the shockwave sent him tumbling into a wall, Iroh guessed one of Zuko's superheated bolts had hit something flammable, almost blowing everything to pieces.

"Uncle." Zuko coughed, catching Iroh's attention, bringing him back to the present. "Let me go. Find mother and I'll find Ty Lee and Mai."

Iroh shook his head, figuring Zuko was still deaf from the explosion. Zuko sneaked from beneath Iroh's arm and took tumbling steps away from him.

"Zuko…!" Iroh shouted, but realized it was futile. Even if the Prince could have heard him, the utter disorder of the situation around them would have made it impossible for Zuko to hear anything at all.

Iroh cursed and stood still for a moment. He looked around and wondered when things had turned into the mess he was starring at that very moment. Several Fire Nation soldiers fought against orange clad prisoners from all around the world. Water Benders were struggling to fight in an environment that was so hostile to them and their element; Earth Benders were defending themselves with everything they found that could be used as a weapon, as the captive Fire Benders managed to keep things even with their powers.

Iroh fell into despair for a moment. He'd grown up surrounded by war and violence; he had brought his own son into that world; and he wondered if there had been any sense to it at all.

He seemed to step outside of his own body, seeing everything from a different perspective, feeling like he was standing underwater. Fire flew everywhere; few drops of water seemed to control it, and Fire Benders discovered then that Water Benders could also bend vapor. Screams of pain and shouts of anger became a symphony that Iroh couldn't understand; leading his mind to discover that everything he had done up to that point had been for nothing. An epiphany suddenly came to him, as he realized both his Nation and his family were the same, power hungry maniacs who loved violence and destruction.

A tear ran down his eye when he noticed the people he loved the most were also maniacs, same as he had been; and still was. He'd proven his valor in several battles, killing countless honorable men, and some others who couldn't even be called scum. His brother had not proven his worth in battle, but instead had resorted to politics and murder, to achieve his plans. His sister in law, a gentle and clever woman, had the skills and disposition of a silent assassin. His niece was a beautiful girl, but a very dangerous and psychotic beauty nonetheless.

He did not want to think about his son, and what he had taught him, and he also didn't want to think about Zuko.

After what seemed an eternity, but had only been a moment, Iroh took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He called forth every ounce of power he had in him, remembering the way his father had taught him, and then the way the dragons had shown him. Contrary to Zuko, he'd had years to balance both sides of power, and could find equilibrium in it.  
He opened his eyes, feeling his blood boiling and energy coursing through his body, the hairs on the back of his neck tingling.

Iroh took deep breaths as the power within his body struggled to be released.

'Hurry up, Prince Zuko.' He thought. 'Lady Ursa, I hope you've had the sense to retreat as soon as you saw what was unleashed here.'

Iroh began counting back in his mind, hoping Zuko could find what he was looking for in the next thirty seconds.

The Prince of the Fire Nation ran without direction after he'd left his uncle's side, trying to recover his balance and clear his vision. Zuko ignored the pain that was threatening to bring him back to unconsciousness, knowing he only had one chance to make up for at least one of his mistakes.

He wanted to shake his head, to rid himself of the infernal ringing inside, but he instinctively knew that was the last thing he needed to do. Everyone around him looked the same; those dressed in orange, and Fire Nation soldiers fighting each other. Maybe it wasn't the original plan, but it was working all the same. He wanted to free prisoners, and he had managed to release them all. He had no idea how that had happened, but now it was all a matter of time till he found the two he was looking for.

Yet it was easier thought than done, because he was fighting against both sides of the battle. Those in orange recognized him as the Prince of those who kept them prisoner, and those of his Nation, knew him as the traitorous Crown Prince Zuko.

That made him angry, and he welcomed the sensation, as it fueled his power and helped him forget the pain. It was a normal emotion he knew how to deal with, not the peaceful and even graceful manner the dragons had taught him to manage his emotions, and thus his power.

He didn't have the time to be a master; he couldn't afford to reach inside him and find the balance he needed. He only needed power, and lots of it, to clear the path between his objective and his person.

Growling, Zuko gathered his power in both his arms and after a quick glance ahead to make sure there were no female forms in the melee; he fired two large bolts of fire with all the power he'd gathered.

As expected, a path was cleared in front of him, and a vacuum of hot air had cleared the smoke in front of him momentarily. Then he saw it, and smiled; female forms dressed in orange fighting Fire Nation Soldiers. He made his way quickly towards them, and watched in awe how the girls made quick work of their opponents. He recognized their fighting style as those girls who wore facial paint and green dresses, as well as Ty Lee's acrobatic style.

But there was no sign of Mai's unique form of combat among them. Cold sweat ran down the length of his back, as his mind formed countless scenarios about Mai's fate, following her betrayal to Azula.

He cleared those thoughts from his mind and in no time reached the group of fighters, ducking just in time to avoid a kick to his throat, delivered by Ty Lee , who was caught off guard.

Zuko quickly took hold of her leg, knowing how dangerous she was, and turned her around to look into her eyes. As expected, Ty Lee was already throwing a punch at her opponent when she stared into Zuko's golden eyes; noticed and recognized his scarred face.

"Zuko! What are you doing here?" she asked. Zuko shook his head and pointed at his ears, where small trickles of blood had made their way down to his neck, hoping the distracted Ty Lee would understand.

"What happened to you?" Ty Lee asked as she grabbed Zuko's head and looked at his ears. For a moment, Zuko wondered how that girl always managed to seem unfazed and not hold a grudge, even after being threatened by Azula; or after the time he had been mean to her at Ember's Island.

"Can't hear a thing." Zuko said and hoped Ty Lee heard. "We gotta leave this place...now! Where's Mai ?"

"She's not here!" Ty Lee shouted. Zuko sighed, knowing the girl wasn't also known for being the smart one of the group.

"He can't hear you!" One of the girls standing next to Ty Lee told her. "We'll tell him later what happened! If he knows how to get out of here we should follow him!"

"Ok!" Ty Lee smiled and nodded. Zuko nodded as well, took Ty Lee's hand and began running back in the same direction he'd taken.

Suddenly, the hairs on the back of his neck stood, and he felt electricity and power fill the air. He quickly looked around to where he felt the power coming from, and stared both in awe and horror at his uncle.

Bolts of lightning seemed to be running through Iroh's body, and the heat surrounding him had melted the metal around him, creating a circle of fire that began to look suspiciously like dragons.

"Enough." Zuko read his uncle's lips. A cold shiver ran through his spine, and he quickly turned around to look at Ty Lee and the Kyoshi warriors with them.

"Get down!" He shouted and hoped everyone heard, before pulling Ty Lee to the floor and covering her with his body. He didn't hear his uncle shout again, but he felt the massive heat wave and electricity thundering around him, before everything went dark again.

**End of Chapter.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16 **

**A/N: **Chapter sixteen of the series. Thanks to Rosey for proof reading the chapter. I apologize again for the slow updates, but I've been trying to write something that's worth reading.

Thanks for your patience.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar… belongs to Nickelodeon.

**///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////**

**Direction **

A freak storm in the midst of the ocean lifted enormous waves, shaking the Fire Nation ship as if it were made of paper, causing two on board to huddle together.

"We're lost." Toph quietly said, holding on to Katara's skirt.

"We're not lost." Katara replied, trying to soothe her friend. "At least I think not."

"It's been days, Katara." Toph moaned, as the ship they were in was shaken by another wave. "I hate this place. I hate this ship. I hate this sensation of feeling truly blind."

"It won't be long, Toph." Katara caressed Toph's hair, and realized that her friend was very scared when there was no rejection to the small display of affection.

"Wonder what Twinkle Toes and Sokka are doing." Toph groaned. "Will they be looking for us?"

"Guess so." Katara answered and held Toph tighter when yet another wave threatened to overturn the Fire Nation ship they had boarded earlier in the day.

"We've come this far, Toph." Katara continued. "Hold on a little longer, please. I know this is about to end."

"Yeah, Princess, we're about to end up drowned in the middle of nowhere." Toph almost whimpered, her eyes closed and her small hands gripping tight on to Katara's clothes.

Lightning appeared, and Katara held the Earth Bender tighter; and both shook withfrightwhen thunder shook them.

"It's not… we can't give up hope, Toph." Katara softly said, and for once was grateful that Toph was was not sure she could have looked into her friend's eyes when saying that. "I can't thank you enough, you know? I don't think I could have done this alone."

"Sure you could have." Toph said. "You just didn't want to. Sokka still thinks you're his baby sister, who can't take care of herself, and Aang idolizes you; he couldn't imagine you doing this."

"Aang doesn't idolize me." Katara replied, feeling uncomfortable. "He just cares about all of us."

"I'm the blind one, Princess, not you." Toph mumbled, seeking safety within Katara's arms. "Aang is in love with you."

"He isn't in love with me." Katara tensed up immediately. "We're just friends, Toph; that's all."

"I can feel heartbeats, Katara." Toph said softly. "It beats according to the situation; faster and deeper when we're fighting, slow and even when we're asleep, fast and a bit erratic when we're nervous. Aang's heart always jumps when you two are close."

"He's just a kid, Toph." Katara sighed. "I'm probably one of the first girls he's ever looked at."

"I'm also a girl, in case you haven't noticed." Toph grumbled. "I don't know if I'm pretty or not, but I don't make Aang's heart jump when we're close; nor Zuko's."

"You said that before." Katara said, quickly trying to change the direction of the conversation. "What do you mean by that?"

"Either you make Zuko extremely wary, or he feels insecure around you." Toph said. "Whatever the reason is, his heart also skips a beat when you threaten him or shout at him."

"I don't think Zuko feels wary or insecure around any of us." Katara shook her head. "He's proven to be a dangerous and unpredictable foe, if somewhat sloppy."

"Your heart also skips a bit when you see him." Toph said. "Probably because you hate the guy, but he sure can make you react."

"All I hear is you telling me both the Avatar and the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation are infatuated with me." Katara sighed.

"What I'm saying is Aang loves you," Toph replied. "Zuko actually feels something other than anger when he's near you. Is that so bad?"

Another wave shook the ship, sinking the two girls into tense silence.

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing." Katara said after a while. "It's actually kind of flattering, knowing two guys are interested in me; it's just what those two are that bothers me."

"What are they to you, then?" Toph asked.

"One's the saviour of the world, Toph; the Avatar we've been waiting for the last hundred years." Katara closed her eyes. "The other one is the face of the enemy, the son of the crazy man who wants to burn the world to ashes- the unknown factor in this whole situation."

"You seem to have placed them in very specific positions." Toph said. "Aang ranks so high on your value scale only because he's the Avatar, and Zuko is scum to you only because he's Fire Nation royalty."

"I don't trust Zuko because he tried to kill us many times." Katara said. "He was relentless, persistent, and nearly unstoppable. He traveled the entire world to find us."

"You seem to admire him." Toph said, and she felt Katara's heart jump.

"In a way, I do." Katara replied. "I was always so insecure about my water bending, feeling I wasn't good enough at it. It also didn't help that Aang quickly learned what it had taken me my entire life to learn; then we meet Zuko, and he also used his powers so easily, so dangerously."

"You fear him, or what you feel when you're around him?" Toph directly asked.

"I don't like how he makes me feel, but it surely isn't fear." Katara said. "I know I'm a match now for him, yet he still makes me uncomfortable. I can't trust him, Toph; not after everything we've been through."

"I've never fought against him, nor escaped from him, so I can't really say too much about him." Toph said softly. "All I can say is what I've felt from the moment I met him."

"He burned you." Katara bluntly said.

"I surprised him." Toph replied. "And he apologized."

"An apology sometimes isn't enough." Katara sounded angry.

"Sure? I've heard Sokka getting on your nerves almost every day." Toph said. "At first, we didn't get along, but now we're together in this ship that's going to crack any moment now."

"It's different." Katara said. "You all are, well, you."

"What did he do, Katara, to make you hate him so much?" Toph asked again.

"I don't hate him, Toph." Katara sighed. "I resent him. It just seems too easy, doesn't it? He chases us at first; then he tries to kill us, then he changes his mind - only to betray us at the last moment. Now he decides he wants to help us and wants to teach Aang how to Fire Bend. That's just too comfortable, isn't it?"

"He's trying." Toph said.

"Well, he's not trying hard enough!" Katara did raise her voice then. "It's like I'm the only one who remembers what happened! Am I the only one who has to worry or take care of us all? I can't let my guard down again, Toph. I did it once, and Aang almost died because of it. I won't disappoint any of you ever again."

"That's why we're looking for a man we don't even know is still alive?" Toph asked. "What are we looking for, Katara? What is your purpose now - to kill or be killed? To know to what extent you are willing to go to prove you're not like Zuko?"

"I don't know." Katara shook her head. "His nation has almost wiped everyone off this world, and yet he seeks redemption, and gets it. It's not fair; not to us, and certainly not to everyone else. If he gets to be forgiven so easily, then I can also seek my own goals and just apologize later."

After hearing that, Toph remained in silence for a long time, making Katara open her eyes to see if the Earth Bender was asleep.

"Did that sound so bad?" Katara asked.

"A little, yes." Toph replied. "It just doesn't make any sense at all anymore, does it?"

"It never made sense, Toph." Katara shook her head. "It's just too much pressure on all of us. I don't know what kind of world we're living in, where the entire hope for peace is placed in a carefree kid. Why the Avatar is taking everything so lightly and the enemy is so determined?"

"It confuses you?" Toph asked. "That it seems that everything comes too easy to Twinkle Toes and the rest of us have to work so hard? Is it with which you're identifying yourself with Zuko?"

"Of course it confuses me." Katara replied. "If you ignore everything Zuko's been through, you can hate him without regrets; but once you've heard and seen what he's been through, it's very hard not to feel sorry for him. I never believed I would feel sorry for anyone from the Fire Nation. That's why we're here, in this damned ship, because I've lost direction, Toph. Because I have to find the answer my own way, not with Aang acting as the all knowing Avatar, nor Sokka breathing down my neck all the time. I can't live with all this hate inside, and the only way to let it all go is finding the man who killed my mother, then discover what I'm capable of doing."

"And are we capable?" Toph asked in a very small voice. "This is war, you know? Are we actually ready to do what's done in a fight?"

"What do you mean?" Katara frowned.

"You know what I mean, Princess." Toph replied. "Have you ever killed someone?"

The question shook Katara. Cold sweat ran down her back, and her sudden response was to hold Toph harder.

"No, I haven't." She answered. "I think none of us has."

"Aang for sure has not taken a life; not even a bug's." Toph snorted. "That entire vegetarian stuff and respecting all type of life is remarkable, but not when you're supposed to end a war."

"I'm certain Sokka hasn't killed as well." Katara said. "He's brave and resourceful, but I don't think he'd be able to… you know."

"In case you're wondering, no, I haven't killed anyone as well." Toph said. "I was the Blind Bandit, but I never killed a foe, not even by accident."

"That leaves Zuko." Katara shook her head. "From what I've heard, he was trying to find Aang for a long time. Who knows what he might have done? He all but destroyed my village when we first met him."

"Maybe he has." Toph mumbled. "He's Fire Nation, after all; he must have been trained to do it."

"The way both he and Azula fought, it was clear that they were trying to kill each other." Katara remembered. "I know you couldn't see the fight, but I guess you could feel their movements; feel the heat."

"It's what his people have done for the last hundred years." Toph sighed. "He's out there and he's willing to do what we're not. Maybe he has crossed the line we're neither ready nor able to cross. What are we going to do about that?"

"I don't know, Toph." Katara replied. "I really don't know. It's all so simple when we talk about it, but when the time comes, we'll truly step into war. People get killed in wars, Toph, and I have seen enough dead people for a lifetime. I'm afraid all we've learned in all this time will be used to destroy instead of helping. Our mission seemed so simple at the beginning--defeat the Fire Lord. Now, how are we supposed to do that without killing him?"

Toph was quiet for a very long time. Her small hand found Katara's and held it tight.

"I don't want to kill anyone." She said softly. "And I don't want to die."

"Neither do I." Katara replied, as tears began to fall down her face. "I am very afraid, Toph, of what we're supposed to do; or what we'll be forced to do."

The two of them cried in silence for a while, the rain and thunder outside silencing their sobs; hiding their despair.

Suddenly, the door was hastily opened.

"Ladies! We had a rough journey, but we're finally here!" A Fire Nation soldier said. "We're in the base of the Southern Raiders! We made it!"

Katara sighed, and something cold ran through her spine. She would have never guessed the same chill shook Toph to the bone.

**End of Chapter**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

**A/N:** Chapter seventeen of the series. Another apology for taking so long; and I want to thank each and every one of you who took the time to write a review.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar… belongs to Nickelodeon.

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**Unexpected Allies**

A group of people were gathered in a small forest, several yards away from what remained of the Boiling Rock. Everyone seemed confused, unsure of what would become of them; their eyes fixed on four figures.

An exhausted Iroh leaned on Ursa, his arm over her shoulders for support, or it could be she who was leaning on him. Marks of combat and small burns covered their bodies, and oblivious to the several hundred pair of eyes staring at them, their eyes were fixed on Zuko.

Beneath the shade of a tree, Zuko sat with his back leaning on the trunk. Holding his head with his hands, he couldn't believe what had happened.

That, plus the constant ringing in his ears, had him in a very bad mood.

"Let me get this right." Zuko said, lifting his head and looking at the small figure standing in front of him. "Mai spent only one day and a half imprisoned within the Boiling Rock."

Ty Lee nodded vigorously at the statement, a large grin on her face.

"Because her uncle is the warden of the prison; am I correct?" Zuko stated again.

"Yeah." Ty Lee replied.

"And by accident, you got to meet the Kyoshi warriors, and now you're friends with them?" Zuko asked.

"Yes, that's pretty much what happened." Ty Lee kept smiling.

"Damn it." Zuko muttered and rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands.

"What is it?" Ty Lee asked. "You thought she was still there with us?"

"Yes, I did." Zuko replied, too tired to be angry. "I went there to get the two of you out."

"The two of us? Why?" Ty Lee's grin disappeared and an honest expression of confusion appeared on her face.

"You helped me escape the last time I was inside the Boiling Rock." Zuko answered. "I may understand why Mai aided me, and did something as stupid as facing Azula. It's you who confuses me; I don't get why you helped Mai."

"She's my friend." Ty Lee replied, and Zuko was surprised by the simplicity of her statement. He smiled inside his head; it seemed he was not very good at judging character.

"Thank you, Ty Lee." Zuko said, wishing the ringing in his ear would go away. "For everything."

"You helped us back there, Zuko." She replied. "You rescued a whole bunch of people from that horrible place. As far as I'm concerned, all those guys looking at us and camped a couple yards away are very grateful that you came."

"I don't care about them." Zuko said. "I cared about Mai and you. The others were of no concern to me."

"Can I ask you something?" Ty Lee said as she sat down in front of Zuko, who nodded. "Why are you always so angry and sad?"

Zuko turned his face away, bothered at the simple way Ty Lee could act and talk, almost as if she didn't have a care in the world. After a while of silence, he finally turned around, and noticed that her face showed true concern.

"I don't know." Zuko sighed. "It's how I am. It's what I can control."

"Yet you came back." She smiled again. "I thought you didn't like me."

"It didn't have to do with me liking you or not." Zuko honestly replied. "You helped me; I help you. It's that simple."

"Tell yourself that, Zuko." Ty Lee stood up and smiled. "The truth is you came back. You came back for us, and managed to release a lot of innocent people."

"Are you trying to make me feel better?" Zuko asked.

"Many people in there hated you and your family." Ty Lee stated. "But now that you came and freed us, I don't think they hate you anymore."

"How does that help me?" Zuko asked.

"Is it so wrong? To not be hated so much?" She asked. "You don't know how to handle gratitude?"

"It's not that, Ty Lee." Zuko sighed. "I think I only wasted time and lives this time."

"What?" She asked, feeling hurt by the statement. "Is that all we are to you, a waste of time?"

"There are several more things going on right now, Ty Lee." Zuko replied. "Don't get me wrong, but I came for two of you; only two. I don't know what to do with a hundred people from around the world waiting for my uncle and me to tell them what to do. And they keep staring at me, and that's seriously freaking me out."

"Those people are looking for a leader." Ty Lee said. "General Iroh is the obvious choice, but…"

"But what?" Zuko looked into Ty Lee's eyes.

"But you just told me it was your idea to come back." She replied. "You convinced your uncle to infiltrate the toughest prison in the entire Fire Nation once again; just for two of us."

"I told you…"

"You came back, Zuko, for two of us; only two." Ty Lee smiled. "You got more than a hundred. Now what are you going to do about that?"

Zuko sighed again and fire came out of his mouth.

"I have an idea, Ty Lee; a very crazy idea." Zuko replied. "I had no clue how to set it in motion at first, but I think it's all falling into place."

"What is it and how can I help you?" Ty Lee asked.

Iroh sat down painfully, with Ursa by his side, both of them shaking from the effort of walking out of the earlier explosion.

"Are you alright?" Ursa asked Iroh, after she sat down comfortably.

"I think I should be asking you that." Iroh coughed. "I didn't know where you were, back there. I'm thankful that you had the quickness of mind to get out of there as fast as you could."

"I'd seen you do that before, a long time ago." Ursa sighed. "When you became General, you attacked an entire battalion of Earth Benders with that. I didn't think you could still do it."

"My arms are still numb, and I think I burned something inside." Iroh smiled. "It's a miracle I survived it one more time."

"Zuko will want to know how you did that." Ursa closed her eyes. "I must ask; when he comes and asks you, what are you going to do?"

Iroh closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the tree he was sitting next to.  
"I can't teach it to him." He answered.

"He won't believe you." Ursa said, ripping off a piece of her robe to dress one of many wounds Iroh showed. "He's very persistent."

"It's not that I don't want to, which by the way, I don't want to." Iroh grimaced as Ursa tied a knot over one bleeding hole near his right knee. "I just can't. I learned it from spending time with the dragons in the spirit world. I don't know how to explain, really. Like floating, Ursa, floating in the ocean and letting the currents carry you. Then you become one with the water, and see colors you never thought you'd see, and faces of people and things you never believed existed. In that moment, I search for the dragons who taught me how to fight years ago, and ask them to channel their power through me. I get lost then, and the power you saw back there is not under my control. I use it only in desperate situations, because as much as it can finish a hundred soldiers, it could incinerate me as well."

"Then why did you do it?" Ursa asked. "If it's so dangerous, why…?"

"Don't ask me that, Ursa." Iroh replied. "You saw what was happening there. If I hadn't brought down the prison, what would have happened? I had to kill several people in order for a few to escape."

"We all do what we must in desperate times." Ursa tied another made up bandage on Iroh's arm. "You've done it; I've done it, and now it seems Zuko is ready to do so. We can't afford to feel guilt right now."

"I'm not feeling guilt." Iroh said. "I'm feeling tired, hurt, and hungry, and very uncomfortable with all those people staring at us."

"They're probably thankful that you didn't kill them." Ursa sighed. "To them, you're still General Iroh, the Dragon of the West."

"And you're the long gone Fire Lady Ursa, whom everyone thought was dead." Iroh replied. "Add the traitorous Prince Zuko, and what a sight we must make."

"What are we going to do if they should attack us?" Ursa whispered. "We're in no shape to make a stand."

"They won't." Iroh smiled. "They're wary of us, but I don't think they want to attack us. They know either Zuko or I could have killed them all back there."

"And I'm not comfortable with it." Ursa shook her head. "What happened to you? What happened to the two of you while you were exiled? How did everything end up like this?"

"It's war, dear Ursa." Iroh said, with a sad smile. "The Zuko you left behind had to fight to survive both his father and his sister. You might have saved his life, but that didn't mean you saved him from abuse and torture. It's quite visible now in his face and the way he acts."

"I left him when he needed me the most." Ursa looked down. "I should have taken him with me."

"We'll never know what's wrong or right in our lives, Fire Lady." Iroh put up a brighter smile. "Think of our sons as you would of trees, Ursa. My dear Lu Ten grew up strong, showered with the love of his mother and my own. I taught him everything I knew then, and I fear I also infected him with the violence that runs through our veins. He grew up a strong tree, but a bent one and I never noticed."

"Zuko is strong now as well." Ursa turned to look at her son. "And I can see him bend in the wrong direction. What am I to do, Iroh? How can I prevent him from turning into his father?"

"It may be too late, now." Iroh said. "But he's still a young tree...uh...man. We can steer him into a better direction if we act quick and strong."

"How are we going to do that?" Ursa asked. "He's trying to destroy his own nation, and take down his father and sister with him. How can we fix him?"

"Right now we can't." Iroh replied. "He's chosen to bring down his father and stop this war; it's our job to help him after the dust settles down. He's lived all his life with hatred, fear, and war over his shoulders. He doesn't know anything else, Ursa, and that will be our task, if we win. If Zuko becomes the next Fire Lord, we'll have to help him to not become his father."

Ursa nodded, her eyes still looking at the boy sitting under the tree shade, talking to a small girl.

Zuko considered his words carefully, trying to find a way to balance his thoughts and not scare Ty Lee away.

"The Kyoshi warriors you befriended**; **how close are you with them?" He asked.

"I'd say we're friends." Ty Lee smiled. "Prison can get people closer, you know?"

"So do years in the ocean." Zuko nodded. "I need you and your friends to do me a favor."

"Sure thing; what is it?" She nodded as well.

"First of all, do you know where Mai is?" He asked.

"In Omashu, of course; her uncle sent her there as soon as he could." Ty Lee replied.

"Good." He smiled. "Second. I left the Avatar and his friends back in the Western Air Temple. I'm sure they're not there anymore, since they probably think I betrayed them again. The other Kyoshi warrior, Suki, is with them. Ask your friends about the possible routes they might have taken to escape."

"Ok!" Ty Lee said. "I'm sure they will be happy to see Suki; anything else?"

"Yes." Zuko's semblance turned darker. "I need you to spread the word, Ty Lee. Tell everyone you meet, on your way to find the Avatar, of what I did. Let them know what I'm willing to do. In fact, tell everyone around to do the same."

"What are you trying to do?" She asked.

"I'm letting both Azula and my father know what I'm doing." Zuko smiled. "Let them know that I'm taking over the Fire Nation, one town at a time."

Ty Lee's smile disappeared as she took a step back.

"You'll have the entire Fire Nation looking for you." She said. "Your father and sister will be in the search too."

"That's what I'm hoping." Zuko's grin turned feral. "Make them worry about me and not see what's happening around them."

Ty Lee turned a bit pale.  
"And what will be happening around them?" She asked.

"What they wanted from the beginning, only a bit sooner." Zuko growled.  
"War."

**End of Chapter**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

**A/N:** Chapter eighteen of the series.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar… belongs to Nickelodeon.

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**Backdraft**

Smoke rose from what once had been a stronghold of the Fire Nation, adding irony to a surreal picture of Earth Benders cheering the name of the enemy.

A still limping Iroh slowly walked next to Zuko, with Ursa at their left, carefully keeping an eye over them.

"Was it really necessary to destroy the entire town, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked, rubbing his left arm, where a red spot was beginning to spread in his clothes.

"I didn't mean to." Zuko quietly replied. "There were too many soldiers, even though it's a small town."

"It used to be a small town." Ursa said, turning her head to look at the remains. "Oddly, the people there do not seem to care."

"Was it worth it?" Iroh asked, boring his eyes in the back of the head of Zuko.

"It depends." He replied.

"Depends on what, Zuko?" Iroh replied, raising his voice for the first time in a long time. "Tell me!"

"It depends on who you wouldask that question?" Zuko slowly turned around to look at his uncle. "Ask those Earth Kingdom peasants, and I'm sure they will tell you it was worth it. Ask the Fire Nation soldiers we killed, they might have a different opinion. Ask me; and course it was worth it. It's what I've been trying to do from the beginning."

Iroh quickly stepped forward and took hold of Zuko's arms.

"What is it, Zuko?! What are you looking for?!" Iroh said, his voice almost breaking. "Is it revenge you seek? Have you lost faith? Or worse, have you lost your soul?"

"We just freed an Earth Kingdom town where soldiers of our nation enslaved them; where our own people tortured and killed them." Zuko calmly replied. "You kept Ba Sing Se under siege for over a year, Uncle; how many people did you kill that time? What were you looking for?"

"I was fighting for an ideal!" Iroh shook Zuko. "I was doing my job as General of our Nation! I was trying to end a war without shedding more blood!"

"And what changed, Uncle?" Zuko sighed. "We fought today to free an enslaved town. There were casualties, I know, but it was obvious there would be. Or did you think the soldiers there would only bow to me and walk away?"

"Of course not." Iroh sighed. "But honestly, I never wanted this for you."

"You trained me for this." Zuko replied. "I told you of what I wanted to do. Your White Lotus Society heard me, and agreed to it. You and mother walk next to me; tell me, what did you expect, Uncle?"

Iroh let go of Zuko's arms and ran his hand over his head as he turned away from his nephew.

"You sound just like your father did at his age." Iroh said. "This awaits us, Zuko? Is this part of your grand plan?"

"No one complained." Zuko coldly said. "This is merely the beginning, Uncle. You can still turn around and leave. I would understand."

"Iroh, Zuko, please stop." Ursa's voice stopped their conversation. "General, calm yourself; this is not the time to lose control. Zuko, do not talk that way to Iroh. Hemay not be your father nor your General, but he's your elder. Respect him."

"You're right, mother." Zuko replied. "But this is what's happening now; what I set in motion and it shouldn't stop now. If I back down now, all the things I've done will be for naught."

"What is it you think you've done?" Iroh asked. "What do you think you've accomplished?"

"So far, we destroyed the Boiling Rock and rescued innocent people." Zuko answered. "Now we just liberated a town from abusive Fire Nation soldiers. I saw your true power, Uncle; something I think will be quite useful. That's what I think we've accomplished."

"Not everything is about power, Prince Zuko." Iroh softly replied. "What we've done will only bring the full might of the Fire Nation Army against us."

Zuko smiled as he looked Iroh in the eye.  
"That's what I'm looking for."

"What do you mean?" Ursa asked. "Have… have you gone insane, son?"

"Probably." Zuko shrugged. "It's all relative, isn't it? Who is more insane, mother? I, who believe a 12 year old won't stop the war, or the other million people who expect he will?"

"There are ways, Prince Zuko!" Iroh raised his voice. "That 12 year old kid is the Avatar! He sees and does things we will never see nor do!"

"Then tell me, Uncle, why hasn't he stopped the war already?" Zuko replied. "He's had plenty of chances before. He couldn't even stop my kid sister, Uncle. How long do we have until the comet arrives? How powerful will Azula be then?"

"We've already established that!" Iroh lifted his hands up in the air. "But what is the meaning of this change in you, Zuko? Do you understand what we did back there? We killed people, Zuko! You killed them!"

Zuko took a step forward, hugged both Iroh and Ursa and held them close.

"Of course I know what we just did." Zuko said as his voice broke. "I don't want to think about that now. I'm trying to convince myself that what I'm doing will avoid more deaths, Uncle. Believe me, mother, if I'm acting like this,it's because I will drown if I don't. I need the Fire Nation to be in turmoil so they don't destroy the world when the comet comes. I need to know we did something other than wait for a miracle. Do you understand?"

"We can't keep doing this, Zuko." Iroh whispered. "We can't fall into despair so easily."

"Then help me, Uncle. Please help me." Zuko replied. "If you're unwilling to walk with me, then use your own methods, but make sure that what was begun here keeps going on."

"We can't leave you, Zuko." Ursa said. "At least I don't want to. Though you must understand, son; your methods and actions are causing ripples we may not be able to control. What we are doing here could burn the Fire Nation to ashes, Zuko, and that would also be genocide."

"Just what our people did to the Air Nomads, mother." Zuko tightened his grip on both Iroh and Ursa. "The world wants this war to end, one way or the other. I killed my own kin, mother, and I know I'm scum for that-- lower than scum--butour people have been doing the same for a hundred years. We are not good people, and you two know it; so if there's something good we can do, we should do it."

"I saw my son fall, Zuko, my own blood." Iroh's voice trembled. "I don't want to see that happen again. You're walking a dangerous path, my boy, and you may not live to make it all the way."

"And you think the other children can?" Zuko replied. "Your White Lotus friends are the most powerful group of people I've met, Uncle. Perhaps you should go to them and help me in another way."

"I have seen too much war, Zuko." A tear fell down Iroh's face. "Too many dead people haunt my dreams every night. I can see spirits, my boy, remember that; and I hear what they say. I can't take another life, Zuko, not another one."

"Then I won't ask you to do it anymore, Uncle." Zuko nodded. "But I still need your power. Should I fail…"

"Don't say that." Ursa interrupted. "We can't think like that, son; we must trust in ourselves."

"I know, mother, but we're not certain of what will happen." Zuko sighed. "If I fail, then you must help the Avatar, any way you can."

"Then this is goodbye, my boy." Iroh said, and hugged the two others as tight as he could. "You are my family, you two; the only family I have left. We must meet again, one way or the other. Promise me."

"I promise." Ursa said.

"I promise as well." Zuko repeated. "I guess I have to move on to the next town, alone."

"Zuko, what do you mean? I could help you if you just let me…" Ursa replied.

"You have been safe with Uncle and his friends for years, mother." Zuko said. "They can keep you safe more than I can."

"We've only found each other, son." Ursa said. "There's so much I want to say to you."

"And you will, mother, some day." Zuko nodded. "I only need to know you two are safe so I can go ahead."

"I will keep her safe, Prince Zuko." Iroh said. "Not that she needs it, though."

A smile appeared on their faces.

"This is not goodbye." Zuko said, as he let them go. "We'll meet in the Fire Nation before the comet arrives, or maybe even when the comet is near. We could use the extra power it'll give us."

"Then you must be extremely careful, my boy." Iroh said. "I can't believe I'm telling you this, but if your plan is to work, you must hurry."

"I know." Zuko nodded. "I also know we don't have time, Uncle, and I don't know what the hell I'm doing. What I do know is that I'm afraid."

"Fear is good, Zuko." Iroh said. "As long as it doesn't freeze you or makes you lose sight of what's truly important. Know your fears, my boy, so you can face them and not freeze."

Zuko instinctively looked at the blue pendant tied around his wrist.

"Can you tell me what that is, Zuko?" Ursa asked; her eyes twinkling with curiosity.

"It's what I fear, mother." He replied, not taking his eyes off the carved rock. "It's the only thing that's keeping me grounded, so I don't forget why I'm doing this."

"Do you know what that is? What it means?" Ursa asked again.

"Yes." Zuko quietly replied. "It's a Water Tribe betrothal gift. I took it from one of the Avatar's friends."

"Is she pretty?" Ursa asked. "How old is she?"

"She's… different from all the other girls I've ever met." Zuko replied, looking back at his mother. "I don't know how old she is. What I know is that she hates me."

"I don't understand…" Ursa seemed confused.

"It's the way she looks at me, mother." Zuko said. "She looks at me and I see the hatred of the entire world in her eyes. I have seen it in the eyes of Earth Kingdom peasants. I've seen it in the eyes of the people of my own Nation, and I saw it in hers every day that I was with the Avatar."

"I thought you…" Ursa blushed. "I apologize, son, I was mistaken about your intentions."

"All she sees in me is the man who killed her mother." Zuko sadly said. "She sees in me what I am, mother**-** a murderer."

---------------------------

"What do you mean it's not him?" Toph whispered as she hid behind Katara, wishing she could melt with the metal behind her and disappear.

"I mean I haven't seen him in all the time we've been here, Toph." Katara replied keeping a frightened smile as a swarm of Fire Nation soldiers ran around in front of them.

"How can you be so sure?" Toph asked.

"Because I'm sure I would never forget the eyes of the man who killed my mother." Katara said. "It's the sort of things I could never let go, even if I wanted to."

"So what are we going to do, Princess?" Toph asked again. "We're just gonna hang in here until we find him or happen to bump into him?"

"I don't know, Toph; I really don't know." Katara clenched her teeth. "I'm trying to think what we're supposed to do now, but nothing seems to come to my mind."

"I say we go back, Katara." Toph said. "We tried; honestly, we tried, and we didn't find what we were looking for."

"There's only one thing left to do that I can think of." Katara replied. "And it's something I don't want to do."

"It involves your blood bending?" Toph sounded uneasy.

"I need the information." Katara said. "We didn't come this far to give up now."

"When are we going to stop, Katara?" Toph's voice cracked and a tear ran down her face. "We're going to get killed here, Princess. Is that information worth your life? Is it worth mine?"

Katara turned to look at her younger friend and the tears running down Toph's cheeks shook her to the core. She felt something cold in the bottom of her stomach and realized Toph was right; she wasn't thinking things through, and she was leading them deeper than they imagined.

"We have to get out of here." Katara suddenly said. "You're right, Toph, we're going to get killed if we don't leave now."

Katara held Toph's hand and began to run back the way they'd arrived. Katara dared one look back at the captain's cabin, knowing the information she needed would be lost to her forever. She closed her eyes for a second, letting her anger go, and opened them to find the fastest route to escape.

A hand fell on Katara's shoulder and she felt her stomach drop; a drop of sweat fell from her forehead and a million different outcomes ran through her mind. She was about to attack when the hand left her shoulder.

"My fair ladies, I thought I'd lost you in all this madness!" The young Fire Nation soldier who'd escorted them before found them and Katara exhaled with relief.

"You scared us!" Katara honestly said, her hand gripping Toph's to the point of hurting each other.

"You had me scared!" The young man replied. "Didn't you hear? A hawk just arrived with news from the Fire Nation Capital and it's something incredible!"

"What is it?" Katara asked, the cold pit inside her stomach making a come back.

"Something I never thought would happen!" The soldier said, wiping his brow. "The traitorous Prince Zuko infiltrated the Boiling Rock again!"

Katara's hand dropped Toph's, and both their faces showed their surprise.

"And not only that!" The man continued. "He destroyed it! Every prisoner escaped and many of the guards did not make it. After that, he took control of an Earth Kingdom colony, and word is he didn't leave any Fire Nation soldier alive."

Katara felt her knees weaken, and only managed to stand straight because Toph's arms encircled her. It felt as if all the blood in her body had turned to ice and ran directly to her brain.

Toph couldn't manage to hold her weight alone, and both girls tumbled to the ground.

"He didn't betray us, Katara." Toph whispered into Katara's ear. "He didn't betray you."

The young soldier didn't hear them, merely misunderstood their shock, nodded and left. Katara turned to look at Toph and held her tight.

"Then what is he doing, Toph?" Katara asked. "What is he doing?"

**End of Chapter.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19****  
**

**A/N: **Chapter twelve of the series. Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and I wish you all a happy new year. I seem to have forgotten my good friend Rosey in the past chapters, and I apologize; so I thank you thrice for all the help you've provided as a proof reader.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar… belongs to Nickelodeon.

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**Humanity**

The fire surrounding Fire Lord Ozai's throne intensified as the latest news reached his ears. The messenger, fearing for his life, slowly walked away as the flames turned blue and kept escalating in temperature.

Princess Azula, as calm as always, approached her father's side and seemed to ignore the enormous heat surrounding them.

"What is it, Father?" Azula asked, seemingly bored with everything that happened around the world. "Something disturbed you?"

The note in Ozai's hand quickly burned to ashes as his eyes seemed to turn into red hot coals.

"It's that infernal brother of mine and that child I should have murdered a long time ago!" the Fire Lord replied. "They have destroyed the Boiling Rock, Azula! And more news keep coming; telling me they're freeing villages under our control! What gives them the right to do so?"

"You should have let me execute them when we had the chance, Father." Azula said, carefully keeping an eye on her father. He was as unpredictable as she was, and taking on the Fire Lord in combat was not in her plans; at least not in the near future.

"What's done is done, Azula!" the Fire Lord shouted. "I can't change that, but I can take control of what is going to happen now! I'll dispatch every ship of my army in order to find them and kill them! I don't care who they are, or what they have done for me! I just want them dead and I want to see their bodies before me!"

"If I may, Father, could I offer another solution?" Azula asked, keeping her voice as low and reverent as she could, knowing that was what her father expected.

"My mind is made up, Azula!" Ozai's brutal reply came. "You shouldn't question my command!"

"Then listen to me as the one who gave you Ba Sing Se when others couldn't, Father." Azula played her winning card. "Please allow me to give you my point of view."

"I haven't forgotten who told me Zuko had killed the Avatar when he hadn't, Azula!" the Fire Lord said. "You deceived me as much as he did. Be careful with your words, Azula**.** Remember that I can still have more children to rule in the future!"

"Yes, Father." Azula gritted her teeth as she bowed. "I have known Zuko and Iroh my whole life, Father, and I guess they are expecting just what you are doing."

"My patience is running out, Azula." Ozai growled.

"Don't send the entire army after them, Fire Lord." Azula said. "Keep them here and rely on the strength numbers give. The traitors are only freeing villages, from what I heard **- **small towns we can recover when the comet arrives. Should you scatter our army, we could give them precisely what they want: an opening."

"You play dangerous games, child." Ozai said. "You should also know there are consequences to what your brother is doing; or have you forgotten the Earth Benders and Water Benders he's freed?"

"We captured them before, Father." Azula replied. "Like I said, we can capture them again; or just kill them. When the comet comes, no one will be able to stop us."

"But the comet is still not here, Azula!" Ozai's voice boomed inside the throne room. "What Zuko is doing, Earth Benders and Water Benders are doing in other towns! How long do you think it will take until they try to recover a city? The governors are already expressing their fear and discomfort at this situation, child, and you ask me not to chase them?"

"Then the governors are fools if they allow themselves to be defeated by traitors, Father." Azula coldly said. "Should they be weak enough to be killed by Zuko and Iroh, then they weren't suitable as leaders of a city."

"And you think you are?" Fire Lord Ozai laughed.

"Of course I am." Azula firmly said. "I have the strength and the resources, Father, and you know it."

"Then what is it you're proposing**;** if you're so sure you'll succeed where others haven't?" Ozai asked.

"Let me take a handful of soldiers, Fire Lord, and I will bring the head of those two traitors to you." Azula said as she stared into her father's eyes.

"You have two weeks, Azula." Ozai said as he turned around. "After that, if you haven't found them and kept your word, I will punish you."

Azula's blood ran cold.

"And you know I don't care if it's my own family I have to chastise." the Fire Lord said as he disappeared behind red curtains.

-----------------------------------------------

Zuko's arm shook from the effort and pain he'd endured for the last two hours.  
It seemed the village had been warned of his impending arrival, and instead of counting on the element of surprise, he'd been the one caught unaware.

His training had kept him alive so far, but his energies were running low, and fear threatened to overwhelm him. Unlike other times, the present battle was adding scars to his collection; thus pain was becoming another important factor in his situation.

"Let her go." Zuko panted as he stared at the Fire Nation soldier standing in front of him; who in turn was keeping a young girl in front of him, using her as a shield.

"What's wrong, Prince Zuko?" the soldier asked, a dagger of fire erupting from his right hand, and his left hand circling the girl's neck. "You can kill my comrades but you can't bear the thought of this girl dying? Who does she remind you of?"

"Let her go." Zuko said, straining to keep the heat inside the tip of his fingers and not let the thin flame erupt and kill both the soldier and the girl.

"You lose either way, Prince Zuko." the soldier laughed. "If you shoot us with that damned fire of yours, you kill this girl; and if you drop your hand, I'll have my men kill them, and then we'll have our way with this girl. Tell us, traitor, is she worth it?"

The words of the soldier rang inside Zuko's mind, reminding him of his uncle's question, asking him if what he was doing was worth it. Zuko had begun to think in numbers, instead of thinking about lives, and the eyes of the girl held hostage shook something inside of him.

Yet the soldier was right; if he lowered his arm, the other soldiers would either burn him or kill him with their arrows. If he attacked, he would burn all of them without a question, but he would take the girl with them.

'It's merely a girl.' Zuko thought. 'It's one life against several others if I let this soldiers escape.'

The Prince of the Fire Nation took his eyes off those of the soldier'sand instead turned to look into the girl's eyes. What he saw in them surprised him; she wasn't afraid, she was angry, and for the first time in his life, the anger was not directed at him.

Zuko was shocked for an instant, but his arm wavered again when he read her lips, her intention clear.

'Do it.' He read in her lips as a tear ran down her face. 'Do it' she repeated.

Zuko clenched his teeth and gathered his power once again through his arm towards his fingers. The bandage in his already damaged hand caught fire again, burning even more of the damaged skin. He kept staring into the eyes of the girl, who seemed to understand what he was about to do**,** because she smiled and closed her eyes.

The Prince growled and took his eyes off the girl's face and aimed at her heart. If he was going to kill her, he would make sure she wouldn't suffer for his mistakes. He slowly let the small sphere of superheated fire gather in the tips of his fingers and turned to look into the eyes of the now scared soldier.

"Seems you didn't know me as well as you thought." Zuko almost barked. "One life against hundreds is an easy choice for me to make."

The soldiers seemed to freeze as Zuko took aim and counted his targets. One last shot would take them all out, even those who were hiding behind trees. He let go of the bolt and prayed his uncle would never know of what he was doing.

In the small instant he thought of his uncle, several thoughts ran through his head and an idea flashed inside his mind. With every ounce of his strength, he moved his arm and fought hard to control the arrow of fire aimed at the heart of the girl.

The white hot line of fire moved far from the girl and the intended targets and struck several trees instead, cutting through them easily and setting several of them on fire.

Zuko fell to his knees, holding his hand in pain, hoping he hadn't made a mistake.

"Well, well. Looks like the traitor can only kill men." the soldier laughed. "What is it, Prince? Not so brave now?"

Zuko panted as he looked at the soldier, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw the eyes of the girl, now staring at him with hatred.

"You should have killed all of us." she said through clenched teeth. "Now they will kill you and every one in my village."

"She's right, you coward!" Another soldier stepped out from behind a tree. "We will take our time killing you and then we will have our fun with this girl!"

Zuko did not reply; he only tried to focus his mind away from the pain in his hand and tried to gather what little power remained in him.  
'Ignore them.' he thought. 'Ignore them and reach inside; bring forth the violence and patience. Think of the two dragons dancing; think about war and think about blue eyes.'

The Prince felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand, and hoped he still had the strength to do what he wanted to do; and prayed his plan would work as he intended.

"Let her go." Zuko repeated. "She's of no use now to you."

"You must think I'm stupid." The soldier's grin turned into a grimace. "I saw what you can do, Zuko; and I don't want to risk that happening to me. Instead, we'll all stay behind your little girlfriend and bring you both down with arrows."

The soldier signaled his men into position, hiding behind trees and preparing their bows and arrows, waiting for their leader's command.

"Now you, little girl, go and stand in front of the once hero of the Fire Nation, so he doesn't get any ideas." the soldier said**,**as he pushed the girl forward. Almost tumbling, and with tears in her eyes, she turned instead towards them and looked at the soldier in the eye.

"You are a coward, pig." the girl said, staring at the man. "If you use me as a shield, then look me in the eye when you kill me."

"With pleasure, little girl, even though what a waste it will beto take your life should Prince Zuko move." the soldier replied.

Zuko could only admire the valor the young girl displayed in front of them all, and remembered other girls standing close to him, fighting with the same bravery and strength.

'Just one time, please, just one time let me do the right thing.' he thought. As he looked up and stared at the arrows pointing at him, he was once again marveled when the girl took steps towards him, her back still turned to him.

As she came closer to him, she stood firm and lifted her arms, in a clear sign of protection.

"You will not lay a hand on me." she said. "And if I die, I will die with the traitor who helped my village."

Zuko couldn't help but grin at the bravery the young girl displayed in front of him.

'I'll make you proud, Uncle.' Zuko thought. 'I will save this girl no matter what.'

"Very well, girl, it's your funeral." the soldier replied. "Soldiers, take aim!"

Zuko closed his eyes and channeled his power once again through his body, increasing the pain he was already feeling.

"Drop down when I shout." he said. The girl turned around to look at him and then felt the hairs of her own neck stand.

"What are you…?"

"Just do it." Zuko hissed, as he stood and shouted as he shot a bolt of lightning into the air, feeling burning needles piercing every nerve.

The girl tumbled to the ground and felt her hair stand as electricity filled the air; but as she looked up, she saw the bolt was going way off target.

"You missed…" she whispered; and the same thought went through the Fire Nation soldiers before the bolt of lightning was attracted back to earth, through the very trees they were hiding behind.

Their eyes grew wide and a scream died in their throats as lightning struck the trees and them along the way. Thunder was heard almost instantly, making the girl cover her ears and curl herself into a ball as wind blew dirt into her.

She quickly opened her eyes and saw what the bolt had done to the trees and the soldiers. She turned her head away and looked at the Prince of the Fire Nation, kneeling and holding his arm in visible pain. The girl stood and slowly approached Zuko, who was shaking, and from what she could hear, was crying.

"Are you alright?" she softly asked as she circled him and looked into his face. Tears were falling from the unscarred eye, and she guessed they weren't only because of pain.

"I'm sorry." he sniffed. "I'm so very sorry. I didn't want this to happen, I…"

He couldn't finish the sentence as he doubled over and threw up, feeling as if the world had turned upside down. Falling over, the girl rushed to his side and kneeled besides him, placing his head on her lap.

"I want this to end." Zuko softly said. "I… I didn't kill you, right? You're alive?"

"I'm alive, Prince Zuko." she replied. "A bit hurt, but we're both alive."

More tears fell from Zuko's eye.

"Good; that's very good." he said. "I didn't kill an innocent girl, Uncle, Mother. I hope you're proud of me; I didn't kill an innocent girl…"

The young girl held Zuko's head in her lap as he fell unconscious.

**End of Chapter**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

**A/N:** Chapter twenty of the series. Another apology for taking so long to post, again. Thanks to dear Rosey for her help with this chapter.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar… belongs to Nickelodeon.

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**Reunion**

Toph and Katara couldn't believe what was happening around them.

They'd heard the tales, listened to rumors, and followed directions; but nothing could compare to what they were witnessing.

The city of Omashu was once again under siege, but this time it was the Fire Nation standing their ground against an army composed of warriors coming from all over the world. Earth Benders, Water Benders and several hundred soldiers and townspeople were attacking, trying to take back what the Fire Nation had taken from them.

"Is it as awful as it feels?" Toph shouted, hoping Katara could hear her over the sound of the battle.

"It's worse." Katara replied, feeling short of breath and still not believing what her eyes were seeing. "Everything we heard on our way here was true, Toph. The world is fighting back."

The Water Bender did not turn to look at her young friend as she spoke; her eyes were fixed on the battle before her, so brutal and yet so magnificent. Fire and water became vapor; earth and fire canceled each other, and earth and water proved to be a very effective combination to overwhelm fire and the soldiers creating it.

In a perverse scenario, the onslaught witnessed by Katara resembled a very well choreographed dance routine. She had not seen war in its rawest form; she'd always attacked from above – comfortably safe upon Appa's saddle- and felt secure with the Avatar by her side. It was all like a game, before, since they had not been in the midst of what she was seeing now.

They had been playing while the world was falling apart in a big ball of fire.

"Princess, what are we going to do?" Toph asked. "It's a mess down there! I can't get a good reading of the ground because Earth Benders are rearranging the geography down there. The water benders don't let me sense a thing because water flows differently and I can feel the heat all the way up here! What are we doing here?"

"Seems we are doing what Zuko wanted us to do." Katara replied. "I guess every one of those he freed from prison or abusive Fire Nation rulers are here."

"Tell me what's happening, Katara." Toph said. "Please."

"It's hard to explain, Toph." Katara's voice shook. "It's… It's like everything's rearranging constantly; the earth is shaking and not standing still, the water is flowing everywhere and there's fire burning every thing and every one it touches. There… there are a lot of people fighting there hand to hand, Toph… I can't…"  
Katara doubled over and threw up, feeling dizzy and sick, finally realizing what they were supposed to do when they decided to join the Avatar in his quest.  
"We need cover, Toph, quick!" Katara's throat hurt as she spoke. "We may be hit with incoming debris or a stray bolt of fire."

Toph nodded, and with a stomp of her foot, a thick stone wall erupted from the ground covering them.  
"Are we going to fight?" Toph asked. "I mean, because from what you just described, I honestly don't want to go there."

"I don't know what to do!" Katara covered her ears, not wanting to hear the battle any more. "I want to get out of here!"

"Too late, Princess, you should cover your head." Toph's voice wavered as she stomped the ground, erecting more stone shields to cover the flying debris aimed at them.  
The Earth Bender's shields held their ground, but she could feel more projectiles coming their way, giving her all the conviction she needed to move.

"Let's get the hell out of here!" Toph grabbed Katara's hand and moved the earth beneath them as if it were a wave of water, leading them away from the conflict.

"What are you doing, Toph?" Katara asked.

"What does it look like to you, Princess? I'm escaping!" Toph replied. "I may like to fight, but not on such a scale!"

Katara began to reply when she heard the distinctive sound of something very heavy falling incredibly fast towards them. Turning around, she saw hundreds of small burning stones, hurled their way from a collision between rocks and heat.

"Dear mother…" Katara whispered and turned to look at Toph, who turned her head towards the water bender when she felt the grip of their intertwined hands harden.  
"What the…?"  
The ground around them exploded as everything seemed to move in slow motion. Katara could see the dirt and smoke rising as burning rocks struck; she could feel the heat burning her skin, and she figured she couldn't hear a thing because of the very loud sounds exploding around her.

As they twisted in mid air, Katara could also see how Toph was trying to lift a stone shield to protect them; but even in her slowed down perception, she could see Toph's walls were being destroyed before they could provide them the safety they needed. Katara wanted to use her water whip to protect them, but she knew she wasn't that fast and the heat surrounding them would quickly evaporate the small amount of water she carried.

Closing her eyes, she thought she would have to use blood bending in order to move Toph from the incoming hot stones; but just as sudden as the thought crossed her mind, help came from above. A small hurricane of hot air blew both of them away from danger and softly carried them upwards – twisting and tumbling- onto Appa's saddle, high above from the carnage.

"What is it? What happened? Are we dead?" Toph asked, trying to recover some sort of balance.

"We're safe, Toph." Katara exhaled with relief as she looked at their saviors. Her eyes filled with tears and shame, so she turned away from the love-filled gazes directed her way. Sokka, Suki and Aang had huge smiles on their faces, and they wasted no time with words. They quickly embraced the two girls in a group hug, with Appa's grunts the only sound they could hear.

"Are you two alright?" Aang asked them, carefully looking them over, searching for injuries and frowning when finding some. "You two are hurt."

"It's nothing, Aang." Katara sighed, finding Aang's concern for her comfortable.

"Only a couple of hot rocks hitting us." "Nothing we couldn't handle." Toph nodded, even though she was still lightly trembling and holding on to Sokka's arm.

"Yeah, right." Sokka stared at the small hands of Toph holding him. "Now, where were you two?"

"Can't we get out of here before you ask questions?" Katara implored. "I don't feel comfortable here. I just want to get away."

"Alright." Aang said as he hopped on Appa's head and guided them away from Omashu.

A couple hundred yards away from the battle site, Appa softly landed on a clear in the middle of the forest, safe for the moment. Quietly, they jumped off the saddle and stretched their backs, trying to ignore the awkwardness of the moment.

"Man, riding Appa is always tough on the lower back." Sokka said.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Suki mentioned. "I don't know how you guys handled being entire days over there. It's a blessing to finally be on the ground."

"Days?" Katara asked. "How long have you been searching for us?"

"Ever since you two vanished without a trace." Aang quietly said. "You didn't even leave a note."

"You would have tried to stop me." Katara replied. "Toph was the only one who would understand. That's why she's with me, and she's the reason we survived."

"What exactly did you do?" Sokka asked with a worried look on his face. "Last time we talked, you were bent on finding the man who killed mother. Did you…?"

"We were close." Toph interceded. "But we believe it's not worth finding that man anymore."

"I left that behind, Sokka, when I saw what my obsession would cost us." Katara lowered her eyes. "If I kept going, we would be dead by now."

"Of course, since you're wearing Fire Nation clothes!" Sokka shouted. "Haven't you noticed? The whole world is now trying to kill everybody from the Fire Nation!"

"These disguises kept us alive." Katara said. "We managed to get all the way here thanks to the help of Fire Nation people."

"What's causing this?" Aang asked, looking at the thick cloud of smoke rising in the direction of the battle.

"You may very well ask 'who' is causing this." Toph said. Katara sighed and placed her hand over her eyes.

"Who is causing this, then?" Aang asked again.

"Zuko." Katara replied. "Zuko is doing this. Haven't you heard of what he's been doing?"

"We were looking for you two." Sokka said with a bit of bitterness in his voice. "We didn't have the time to ask what scar face was doing. He probably went running back to his father and is messing around with the world."

"It's not like that, Sokka; it's actually the other way around." Katara removed her hand from her face and stared into her brother's eyes. "What's happening right now, the world pressing and the Fire Nation pushing back, is because of Zuko's actions."

"What actions?" Suki asked as she began to feel better.

"Zuko destroyed the Boiling Rock, for starters, and freed every prisoner in it." Toph said. "Then he began to systematically free towns under the control of the Fire Nation."

A unanimous 'what?' was uttered from three very confused individuals.

"We heard of a sort of revolt, but we never guessed…" Sokka's eyes seemed to lose focus for a moment.

"Then all of these people dying, it is because of Zuko's actions?" Aang angrily asked.

"People were dying before I found you frozen inside the iceberg, Aang." Katara coldly replied. "They continued to die while we were playing hide and seek, or have we forgotten Yue?"

Sokka slightly jumped when Yue's name was mentioned.

"We may have fooled ourselves for a while, guys." Katara continued. "But the horrible truth was happening literally beneath us when we were flying on Appa's saddle. What Zuko is doing now is what we failed to do; he has entered the war full on. Are we ready to do that? I certainly don't feel like it."

A heavy silence fell upon them, only interrupted by the faraway sounds of the distant battle.

"What's with the long faces?"  
All of them turned around immediately when hearing the female voice behind them. Adopting their fighting stances, they were ready to attack, when they recognized those before them.

"Suki?" One of the girls asked.

"It can't be…" Suki murmured. "They're my friends!"

Suki ran to embrace her friends from Kyoshi Island, whom she thought she'd never see again.

"What happened? How are you here? What happened?" Suki asked.

"You asked what happened twice." One of the girls replied. Suki turned to look at her and noticed she couldn't recognize her face beneath the make up.

"Uh, have we met before?"  
"Yeah, we met when Zuko rescued you from the Boiling Rock!" The girl replied. "I was later sent there and I met these girls, and we became friends."

"The day we… who are you?" Suki asked.

"Oh no!" Sokka said as he tumbled all the way back until he struck Appa's side. "You're that girl that bends backwards and hits us in a weird way so we can't move!"

"Ah, yes, but that was before." Ty Lee said. "These girls are really great, and after Zuko freed us, he asked us to find you."

"He what?" Aang asked.

"Yeah, he told me to look for Suki; since he was sure she'd be with all of you." Ty Lee replied. "Once we found you, I have to tell you what he said to me."

"What did he tell you?" Katara's voice shook.

"He asked me to tell you he would take back all the towns the Fire Nation had conquered." Ty Lee answered. "That he would attract the attention of his family and distract them from what's really happening."

"And what is it? Destroying villages and murdering lots of innocent people?" Aang asked.

"No." Ty Lee shook her head. "He's fighting back in a war his family began. He's attracting the attention of his father and Azula so they don't realize what's happening around them."

"That explains this attack on Omashu." Suki said. "He began by taking small villages, hoping it would trigger a larger effect and make the rest realize they could fight back."

"He then became a living target?" Katara asked. "Azula and the entire army are behind him?"

"That's what he was looking for, or at least that was what he told me." Ty Lee shrugged. "I'm just thankful that he freed us and a couple hundred other guys."

"It doesn't make sense." Sokka said. "Why would he go back to the Boiling Rock? Why is he trying to undo what his family did? And why are you talking to us if you're one of the bad guys?"

"Zuko came back to the Boiling Rock to free Mai and me." Ty Lee replied. "He's feeling guilty for what his family has done to this world, and I'm talking to you because Zuko asked me to."

"He's going to get himself killed." Aang suddenly said. "And he's killing people from what I'mhearing? Where does that leave him? Which side is he fighting for now?"

"I don't know a lot of things, but my friends here do." Ty Lee stared into Katara's blue eyes.

"Zuko wore a blue pendant around his wrist. I was told it is a traditional betrothal gift in the Water Tribes. Is the blue stone yours?"

"I knew he had it." Katara growled. "Yes, it's mine, and you just confirmed he stole it."

Ty Lee shrugged and turned to look at the battle.

"We should join them soon." Ty Lee said. "We were not freed to hide, girls. We're here to make a difference."

"Wait!" Aang quickly said. "Don't go! You'll only get killed there, don't you see?"

"We'll get killed when the comet arrives, Aang." Suki sadly said. "And they're right. We're the Kyoshi warriors; we can't sit still and let others die without fighting."

"I can't believe this." Aang seemed to shake. "There's still time! I can find a way to stop the Fire Lord without all this fighting! I know I can!"

"Then why haven't you?" Ty Lee asked. "You go find your way, Avatar; we have our own. If you manage to end all of this in a peaceful way, you'd better hurry, because I don't think we'll last long in this war."

Suki nodded and took off along with her friends, leaving behind a very shocked Sokka behind.

"Suki, what…?" Sokka didn't finish his sentence as he went off running behind her. Aang seemed lost in despair and Katara was feeling even more confused than ever before.

"He saved my life, y'know?" Ty Lee, who hadn't left, whispered to Katara. "He risked everything to get me out of there, and it seemed he really valued that pendant around his wrist. I don't know what's up between the two of you, but he must really care for you if he has that thing with him all the time."

Ty Lee gave a beaming smile before running behind her friends, leaving Katara, Toph and Aang alone.

"Do you think he's doing the right thing?" Aang suddenly asked.

"I don't know, and I'm tired of not knowing what's happening." Katara answered. "The only thing I know is that they're right, we have to fight, but we have to know how and when to."

"What are you thinking about Princess?" Toph asked after being silent for a very long time.

"That we should begin looking for Zuko, and help him in any way we can." Katara answered.

"You mean we should help him kill people?" Aang angrily asked.

"No, Aang. I mean we should help him instead by freeing people without resorting to killing soldiers. If there are four of us, then he won't resort to kill for others and to save his life."

"If he's killing people, I'll have to stop him." Aang firmly said.

"If he's releasing people risking his life, I will stop you." Katara replied. "I don't care if you're my dearest friend, or the Avatar, or a child. Zuko is doing what you should be doing, except he doesn't have your powers. I will help him, even if you don't agree."

"But…"  
"Get this straight, Aang." Katara interrupted. "I'm going to help Zuko, and you better not stand in my way."

Aang stared into the determined blue eyes of Katara before turning away, his face contorted in a sad grimace.

"Very well, do as you want." Aang said. "But don't count me in. I don't want blood on my hands."

Aang jumped at Appa's head and was prepared to fly away when he heard Katara's cold words.

"You already have blood in your hands, Aang." she said. "For doing nothing for the past hundred years."

**End of Chapter**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

**A/N: **Chapter twenty one of the series. Sorry for taking so long to update.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar… belongs to Nickelodeon.**  
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**Farther  
**  
Blessed warmth greeted Prince Zuko as he opened his eyes. He clearly remembered everything from the moment he had crumbled next to the Earth Kingdom - crying unceremoniously – till the moment he'd lost consciousness en route to wherever he was at the moment.

Blinking a couple of times, he finally focused and waited for the expected pain that would probably shoot through him at any moment; but it never came. Zuko took a deep breath and wondered why he felt almost no pain in his body. He remembered too well what had happened in his last battle, or had it all been a dream? Lifting his right arm, he stared at the clean bandages covering it entirely, up to the tip of his fingers. He flexed his shoulder, his elbow, wrists and fingers, frowning when no pain was registered.

'Am I dead, or in the spirit world?' he asked himself.

A silhouette appeared in his line of sight and he instinctively took a fighting stance, narrowing his eyes, trying to see where he was and who had snuck up on him.

"Oh, good, you're awake." The same girl he remembered saving was standing there, carrying a tray with food and water. "We thought you wouldn't make it through the night."

"We?" Zuko asked, looking around the cave, trying to find either an enemy or a way out.

"There's no need to be so tense, Prince Zuko." A female voice was heard from the darkness. "If I wanted you dead, you would be dead already."

"Damn." Zuko muttered as he lowered his hands. "So I owe my life to you now?"

"You could look at it that way." the bounty hunter Jun replied, smiling. "But, since there's no one else here but us and the little girl, I'd say we're even."

"What?" Zuko asked, confused.

"Do you need a reason for everything?" Jun asked as she leaned against one of the stone walls.

"When it comes to you? Of course. You would do anything for money." Zuko replied. "For all I know, your reasons for keeping me alive could have something to do with a reward for my head."

"If that were the case, then you wouldn't have a head anymore, would you?" Jun joked.

"Perhaps I'm worth more alive than dead." Zuko gritted his teeth. "My father would love to teach me another lesson."

"You have a good point there." Jun nodded. "Tell you what; maybe I should let the effects of my shirshu's tongue disappear, then see how well you do with all those injuries over your body."

"That's why I feel no pain…" Zuko whispered, remembering the effects of the creature's tongue. "How long will this last and how come I can move?"

"It's almost worn out." Jun tossed an apple to Zuko. "Do you want to keep questioning me or do you want another dosage before you pass out from pain again?"

Zuko bit the apple as he gave a deep thought to Jun's words. His mind totally lost coherence as the juice of the apple dripped down his parched throat, and the flavor of the fruit filled his mouth. He all but devoured the apple, and even licked his bandaged fingers afterwards, not caring who was staring.  
"Give me another apple and we have a deal." Zuko chuckled, feeling better for the first time in a long time. Jun grinned and tossed another fruit to Zuko, who ate it as quickly as the first one, realizing how hungry he was.  
"How long have I been out?" he asked between bites.

"Not long." Jun replied. "Two days, tops."

"And I'm not feeling pain because of the venom in my skin.' Zuko thought. "How bad am I injured?"

"Very bad." Jun answered Zuko's question. "Your right arm looks like ground meat and your whole body looks like a wooden dummy used for sword practice; makes the scar on your face look like a scratch."

"That bad…" Zuko sighed, wondering how he looked and if he'd ever truly heal. Maybe he could ask Katara – if she ever spoke to him again – to try to fix him.

"The effects of the venom are fading." Jun said. "What will it be, then?"

"I can't remain still in one place for long." Zuko replied.

"We have been moving around." Jun smiled. "When you save an entire village and kill some Fire Nation soldiers, people can be very thankful and helpful."

"What are you not telling me?" Zuko narrowed his eyes. "Does this have something to do when I asked you if you had been burned once?"

Jun looked away, a deep frown on her face.

"You're from that village." Zuko stated. "The one I destroyed. The one who hurt you was there, right?"

"Maybe. Maybe not." Jun shrugged. "I'm not that easy to read, Prince, unlike you."

"Whatever the reason, I'm still alive because of you." Zuko grunted, beginning to feel pain all over his body. "My body's starting to tingle. That's not a good sign, is it?"

"It's time to knock you out again, Zuko." Jun smiled. "I never get tired of seeing that."

"Just wait a minute." Zuko said through gritted teeth. "Need to know how injured I really am."

"Suit yourself." Jun shrugged again. "You'll hit the ground in a minute."

"Shouldn't we try to convince him?" The girl asked, after a long time of remaining silent. "He won't last long…"

"Let him." Jun told the girl, her voice soft.

Pain shot through Zuko's whole body, feeling as if someone had poked his entire body with white hot needles and kicked him for hours.

"That's how bad it is." Jun said. "Do you think you can handle it?"

"No." Zuko grunted as he fell down on his knees. "But I can't… can't sleep it all off. Have to be able to… carry my own weight."

"You don't have to worry about your pride, Prince Zuko." Jun smiled. "Perhaps it's just better if you let someone help you once in a while."

"What if… what if you're attacked while I'm being carried around like a sack of potatoes?" Zuko's arms shook as he spoke.

"You're about to pass out from pain." Jun knelt down next to him. "You did something for me; now it's my turn to do something for you. That's how it works."

Zuko turned to look into Jun's eyes and saw honesty in them for the first time.  
"I help you, you help me…" Zuko chuckled. "Funny."

"What's so…?" Jun couldn't finish her question when Zuko fell unconscious once again, his forehead resting on the bounty hunter's shoulder. Jun sighed and slowly moved him away; placing him back on the small mat he'd been sleeping on.

"So there was no need to sedate you this time, Prince Zuko." Jun smiled and turned to look at the child.

"You should go back home." She said. "Tell them he'll be safe with me."

"Alright." The girl nodded. "Help him."

"Go ahead." Jun waved the girl off. She wanted to answer, but she couldn't afford to be seen showing any sort of emotion. It was the life she'd chosen, and she didn't regret it, event though there where times when she wished she could just go back home.

Where once she had cursed the Royal Family of the Fire Nation, she now was grateful to one of them; their very own Crown Prince – an outcast – but still very much part of the Royal Family.  
Prince Zuko had helped her achieve what she'd wanted for a long time; and she couldn't help feeling confused. What was he doing, and for what reason?

'You sure are a fool.' She thought. 'You're risking everything you have for a world that hates you.'  
Jun knew she had to leave their hiding place quickly, otherwise she would be risking every thing they had achieved, as little as it was, thanks to Zuko's impulsive plan.

'Why are you doing this?' She asked herself for what she felt was the thousandth time. 'Is it because of that Water Tribe girl? Can't you see the way she looks at the Avatar and the way she looks at you?'

Jun reached inside one of her pockets and took out Katara's necklace, heavily damaged from the numerous fights Zuko had been in. She carefully removed the burned leather strip and stared into the carved pattern in the rock.

'Wonder what she thinks about this.' Jun sighed. 'Maybe she doesn't even know you have it. Probably thinks she lost it.'

The bounty hunter rubbed her eyes; she was also tired as hell because of the turmoil erupting ever since the Boiling Rock had fallen. She hadn't had the chance to meet her fellows from the White Lotus and she was desperately trying to find them.

However, with Zuko under her care now, she couldn't go near them anymore. The Crown Prince was a sitting duck at the moment, and whether she liked it or not, she was the only one who could help him.  
'Monumental fool.' she smiled as she discarded the burned leather strip and replaced it with a new one. 'This blue lace has to go. Red suits you better.'  
Jun took Zuko's right arm, but changed her mind when she noticed how injured the appendage was. She had seen such wounds before, and she figured he would lose the arm if he didn't receive immediate medical attention; but where could she take him?

"You have been lucky so far, Prince Zuko." Jun softly chuckled as she tied the necklace around Zuko's left wrist. "Luck is a fickle mistress, though. I should know."  
Jun stood up and slowly gathered her belongings; she would wait for nightfall to leave the cave, hoping to seize whatever cover the darkness of the forest surrounding them could provide******.**

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing important." Jun replied, not surprised by Zuko's sudden words. "Go back to sleep."

"Can't sleep." Zuko said. "Feels like my body is on fire."

"It probably is." Jun chuckled. "From what I was told you did, seems like you burned everything in your path, including yourself."

"Taking your leave?" Zuko asked.

"We're leaving." Jun turned to look at Zuko as she replied. "Can't leave you here."

"Where are we going?"

"Still don't know." Jun sighed again. "Don't know if there's a place in this world where we're not both fugitives."

"I have to get closer to the Fire Nation capital." Zuko grunted, as he sat up. "I've wasted too much time… I don't even know when the comet's supposed to arrive."

"We don't have much time." Jun's voice was almost a whisper. "Two or three days, tops. Then that's it. Heard that crazy father of yours gave himself another name."

"Come again?" Zuko asked.

"The Phoenix King or something like that." Jun answered. "Imagine that. Losing Omashu must have been a low blow, and I don't think he wants the same thing to happen at Ba Sing Se."

"Wait, what happened at Omashu?" the Prince asked, not processing the news so quickly.

"All those people you've been inciting to riot up have done so, Prince Zuko." Jun smiled. "Hundreds of them stormed Omashu and took the city back from the Fire Nation."

"Whoa." Zuko whispered. His plan was working even better than he expected, though the injuries and the soldiers he'd killed weren't part of what he'd envisioned at first.

"Even the Avatar's friends were there." Jun continued. "It was quite a sight; no Avatar, though. Everybody was wondering where the little kid was."

"The Avatar wasn't with them?" Zuko's head turned quickly towards Jun. "What…? Where…?"

"Nowhere to be seen." Jun replied. "Didn't stay too long to watch, really; didn't want to get myself involved in such a struggle."

"The Avatar's friends… are they…?"

"All alive and counted for, Prince Zuko." Jun smiled. "They're gathering an army right now to take Ba Sing Se back. Perhaps you would like to join them."

Zuko did not reply immediately. He considered the words and a sensation of peacefulness washed over him. Perhaps he wouldn't have to be alone anymore, and he could use their assistance and companionship.

"It's a nice thought." Zuko smiled. "But I'm a living target right now, and I don't want to become another burden for them to carry."

"Something tells me you're afraid." Jun rubbed her nose. "But don't get me wrong; I understand that fear."

"Really? How come?" Zuko narrowed his eyes.

"You don't want to attract more danger to them." Jun answered without looking at Zuko. "You're not even sure they'd be glad to see you. You've done things they wouldn't understand and you fear their reaction."

"When did you stop talking about me?" Zuko asked. "Yet you came back, didn't you?"

"And do you see me staying?" Jun shrugged. "There were things I had to do and some others I wanted to. I can't erase what I've done; furthermore, I don't want to – and many people can't understand that. Do you think they will, Zuko?"

**  
**"Of course not." Zuko said quietly. "You're right; we should get moving."

In silence, both of them picked up their bags and walked out of the cave, neither one in a hurry.

"Thank you." Zuko suddenly said.

"For what?" Jun asked.

"Saving my life. Patching me up. For not stealing the necklace." Zuko replied.

"Like you said, you're worth more alive than dead; I bandaged you up because you were bleeding all over the place, and the rock in the necklace has seen better days." Jun chuckled. "There's nothing to be grateful about."

Zuko nodded, keeping his gaze on Jun's face. He was beginning to feel the real power pulling the strings in his world, since he'd been surrounded by very capable and powerful women all his life.  
His mother had ensured his father's throne and saved his life; Azula was one of the most proficient Fire Benders ever to live, and together with Mai and Ty Lee, they were deadlier than entire battalions. Toph was the most amazing Earth Bender he'd seen, and the warrior girls from Kyoshi Island were the best hand to hand fighters he'd known.

He couldn't help but feel admiration for all of them, and he was walking - thanks to yet another strong woman he'd once thought very poorly of. He was also beginning to notice she was quite beautiful, but that idea led his thoughts to another path he'd already visited and didn't want to think about it, especially not after what he'd done to Mai.

"Where do you think you're going?"

The voice froze Jun, Zuko and her shirshu, not recognizing it immediately and figuring they'd been finally caught by the Fire Nation.

Yet Zuko seemed to remember that voice, because he did not turn around to acknowledge its owner; he merely turned to Jun.

"Go ahead without me, Jun." he said. "Thank you for everything you've done. I'll take care of this myself."

"Are you sure?" Jun seemed worried for an instant. "You're still a mess."

"It's alright. Nothing bad will happen here." Zuko smiled.

Jun shrugged, returned the smile, and walked away with her pet.

**  
**"Alright." Zuko said, turning to look at the unexpected arrival. "What do you want?"

"A word with you, Prince Zuko. I'm afraid I can't allow you to go on, and I'm here to stop you."

The Avatar swung his staff and assumed a fighting stance directly in front of Zuko, who merely stared into the eyes of the young boy.

**End of Chapter.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

**AN/: **Chapter twenty two of the series. So sorry for the long delay. As usual, thanks to Rosey for her help proofreading this chapter.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar… belongs to Nickelodeon.

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Firestorm**

"What is it exactly that you're going to do, Avatar?" Zuko asked, feeling very tired and somewhat nervous. The Avatar's face was completely serious, something the Prince of the Fire Nation had seen few times before; and given his condition, he wouldn't put up much of a fight.

"I told you, I'm here to stop you." Aang replied, gripping his staff tightly. "You can't go on murdering people, no matter how good your intentions may be."

"You're going to waste time fighting me when you should be trying to stop my father?" Zuko asked, taking his own fighting stance. "Why can you face me and not him?"

"Right now, you are the one causing more trouble." Aang began circling Zuko. "I haven't heard anything from the Fire Lord. Can't say the same about you, with all the towns you've turned into ashes."

"Tell me what you're going to do, Avatar." Zuko's nervousness only grew, sensing the Avatar was dead serious this time. "How exactly are you going to stop me?"

"It won't take much, seeing how you look." Aang replied. "Don't make this harder than it is."

"Harder?" Zuko almost barked. "I heard people are fighting back, Avatar; that they're taking back what belongs to them. I heard your friends kicked out the Fire Nation from Omashu, and I was told you were nowhere to be found. So what was so hard? Finding me, so you could vent your frustrations instead of helping your friends?"

Aang didn't reply to Zuko's question; he lunged forward and swung his staff, creating a massive gust of wind that threw Zuko several feet away. The Prince tried to land in a way he wouldn't worsen his injuries, but before he could stop his momentum, Aang was already airborne, heading towards him with the clear intention of smashing his staff on Zuko's skull.

"Here we go." Zuko muttered as he threw fireballs at the Avatar, trying to slow his attack. However, the damage to his body was clearly visible when his power was nowhere near the normal levels, and the Avatar merely disintegrated the fireballs with a wave of his hand.

"What's wrong, Prince Zuko?" Aang asked as he took a swing at Zuko's head. The Fire Bender partially blocked the hit by covering his head with his arms, but the impact sent daggers of pain throughout his entire body. "You don't seem like your usual self."

Aang didn't seem to notice Zuko's pain, but he did see the clear opening and seized the chance, kicking the Fire Bender's stomach as hard as he could. Zuko coughed and droplets of blood flew to land on the Avatar's face, before the Fire Bender doubled over and fell to the floor in pain.  
"I thought you would put up a better fight, Crown Prince." Aang said. "It seems you have been careless."

"Beating an injured man is always easy." Zuko grunted. "Try it with the real enemy, Avatar, and let's see how well you do."

"You are my true enemy!" Aang shouted. "I trusted you and you betrayed us! I wanted to be your friend! And this is what you do? You leave us and start your own war?"

"The war was already there." Zuko coughed blood one more time. "I just decided to stop playing around and do something for a change."

"So you decided to become your father?!?" Aang asked, genuinely angry. "Why? What could have possibly made you choose to do so?"

"I did it because you didn't want to." Zuko struggled to stand up, his left arm wrapped around what he felt were broken ribs. "It didn't seem you would do anything at all before my father decided to erase all other nations from this world."

"How can you say that?" Aang's anger turned into confusion. "Ever since I woke up in this world, all I've done is my best to prevent that from happening!"

"Looks like you haven't tried hard enough." Zuko finally stood on shaky legs. "How many times have you attacked, Avatar, with the tide clearly on your side? How many times have you won? How many people have been lost because you just won't do what you're supposed to do?"

"I have given everything I've got, Zuko." Aang hissed. "There are lines that can't be crossed, and I fear you have gone too far. It is my duty as Avatar to stop you, and you know it."

"Don't make me laugh." Zuko grinned. "You should thank me for crossing that line. It seems it was necessary to do so, Avatar. Now the whole world is reacting, instead of merely waiting for you to make up your mind."

"My mind is made up!" Aang shouted. "I will stop this war the way I want to! I will not resort to fight fire with fire!"

"The world will go out in flames anyway." Zuko replied. "What will you do against Azula, Avatar? You were almost killed by her once, and when the comet arrives, you will be no match for her power. None of us will be."

"And your answer for that is to strike before it happens?" Aang began to lose his patience. "You know we were taking our time, Zuko. You realize what you've done now? You have taken away any chance of ending this war without any more bloodshed."

"You can still do that, Avatar." Zuko said. "Forget everything you were taught by the Air Nomads. They're gone; wiped out by my Nation a long time ago. You're the Avatar, not a pacifist. You're the spirit of the world in person, and the world is crying out for help. What will you do?"

"End this without compromising my beliefs, Zuko." Aang's anger seemed to disappear. "I refuse to believe there is no other way. I don't want to take your father's life. I will find a way."

"Then what are you doing here?" Zuko's gaze drilled into the Avatar's. "Your friends are fighting, Avatar, while you are here wasting your time with me. Why aren't you helping them?"

"I'm not with them because what they're doing is wrong, Zuko." Aang replied. "Inspired by your own misguided actions, they're choosing to take the easy way, and I can't be there with them."

"Easy way?" Zuko seemed incredulous. "You think what they're doing is taking the easy way? Don't you understand? You're running while they're facing your destiny! They've stopped thinking they have another choice, Avatar! Don't you think it's time they began to listen to what their own hearts are telling them?"

"They're not listening to their hearts, Zuko." Aang angrily spat. "They're listening to the screams of those you've killed and maimed, and they're reacting to it. Violence breeds violence, Zuko, and you've fanned the flames quite well."

"So I ask you again, what are you doing here?" Zuko repeated his question. "Shouldn't you be by their side? Trying to convince them that you will end this the way you've told them to? Or are you merely searching for someone to vent your anger with and have some peace of mind?"

"You're pushing it, Prince Zuko." Aang whispered.

"Why can't you see, Aang?" Zuko asked. "What will it take? Are you waiting to see your friends die? Do you want to watch Katara die before you actually do something?"

Aang's anger fully manifested upon hearing the Water Bender's name and struck again, ripping out pieces of rock and throwing them against Zuko.

Unable to dodge them, most of the projectiles struck Zuko until he fell down again.

"Don't dare to say her name." Aang walked towards the limp prince. "She was right, after all. You are not to be trusted, Prince Zuko. I shouldn't have listened to you."

Zuko coughed as he tried to speak, but the pain in his chest made it too difficult to even breathe. Aang kneeled down next to him, and stared at the necklace tied around the prince's wrist.

"This doesn't belong to you." Aang slowly untied the pendant. "And the ribbon should be blue."  
Zuko tried to stop Aang from taking the necklace, but was too weak to even move.

"I will return this to its rightful owner." Aang smiled. "I guess you won't be making too much trouble now, seeing how injured you are."

The Avatar stood up and began walking away from Zuko.

"Stay away from us." Aang said. "I don't want to kill you, but if you come near us, I will find what it takes to end your life."

Aang didn't look back as he jumped high into the sky and glided away, leaving behind a near unconscious Zuko.

The Prince of the Fire Nation watched in silence how the Avatar glided away, feeling cold wind caressing his body. Zuko sighed and closed his eyes, wondering how he'd fallen so low, and thinking that perhaps the young Air Nomad was right.

Zuko allowed himself a few moments of self pity, letting sadness take a hold of himself, figuring there was nothing wrong with feeling sorry for himself for a while. Bitter tears fell down his cheek, making him wish he could cry normally, instead of feeling the itch behind his scarred eye. He let himself feel all the pain, all the sorrow and all the regret he'd been trying to suppress for a long time. He finally allowed a moment of weakness to appear, knowing there was no one to see him and no one to condemn him for breaking down after everything he'd gone through. It was a selfish thought, but he didn't care anymore; he was tired, and wanted to vent his frustrations any way he could, and crying seemed like the perfect choice at the moment.

After few minutes of letting the tears fall down freely, Zuko tried to compose himself, taking deep breaths and focusing on not feeling the pain. It took him several minutes, but calmness seemed to reappear and he guessed he could stop the anxiety that had taken over.

'Damn.' Zuko thought after a long time of not wanting to even exist. 'That little idiot's going to get himself killed if he keeps up acting like that.'

For a long time, the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation stood still, thinking about what had happened and waiting for the pain to lessen so he could move. He couldn't afford to stay there for long, or else he'd be found by someone with fewer scruples than the Avatar.

When he finally felt he could move, Zuko rolled onto his stomach and tried to stand up on all fours. Pain appeared throughout his entire body and he figured he really needed a doctor if he wanted to make it through the next hours.

"Welll, well. What have we got here?"

Zuko's blood froze as he heard the playful voice and noticed the last thing he wanted to happen did occur.

"Looks like someone played kick the Zuko." The voice said before bursting into laughter.  
"What is it, Azula?" Zuko asked, standing up. "Are you here to do father's dirty work?"

"I told him I could find you." Azula replied. "Lo and behold, the mighty Prince of the Fire Nation, all ready and prepared for me to take the last shot."

"Father wants me alive." Zuko sighed. "Or else you would have already killed me."

"Actually, I think it would be an act of mercy if I finished you right here, Zuzu." Azula chuckled. "You'll probably die before we get back home, and father would not be pleased if that happens."  
"It's my lucky day, I guess." Zuko painfully chuckled.

"More like my lucky day, Zuzu." Azula savagely grinned. "I get to take you back, watch father punish you, and then I will ask for the honor to execute the traitor prince."

"It always comes back to the two of us." Zuko said. "Trying to please father one way or the other, right? Does he know what you'll do to him after you're done with me?"

"He's too busy now, calling himself the Phoenix King and all that." Azula shrugged. "When the time comes, I'll do to him what he did to grandfather, and you know the rest."

"What a great family we make." Zuko wheezed, feeling his lungs starting to give out. "You're a sick maniac, little sister."

"It runs in the family." Azula replied. The sheer irony of the moment prompted both siblings to burst out in laughter.

"Time to go home, Zuzu." Azula said, still chuckling. "I'll have someone try to patch you up so you give us some entertainment. How's that sound?"

"Sounds excellent, little sister." Zuko replied as he walked towards her. "Sounds just perfect."

**End of Chapter**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

**A/N:** Chapter twenty three of the series. So sorry for the long delay; life has kept me quite occupied. Thanks to Rosey for her very valuable help.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar… belongs to Nickelodeon.

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**Differences**

"What are you thinking about, Princess?" Toph asked Katara, who was busy looking at the injured feet of her friend.

"We've gotta think of something, Toph." Katara's blue eyes looked at the black haired girl with concern. "You can't keep fighting on bare feet; you're going to get seriously hurt one day."

"It's no big deal." Toph shrugged. "I'm used to this. As long as no one burns my feet, I'm alright."  
"That happened before." Katara said softly. "What if it happens again?"

"Then I hope you're around, so you can fix me like that time." Toph smiled.

"It's not that simple, Toph." Katara sighed. "We're falling apart, and we should be more careful. I can see how we're slowly crumbling, and so far you're like the strongest one around, so please be careful."

"You mean I'm the strongest when Twinkle Toes is not around?" Toph's curiosity was piqued.

"I guess you could give him a run for his money." Katara smiled. "He's not that much into fighting."  
"Do you miss them?" Toph suddenly asked.

"Of course I do." Katara answered. "I want them back, so I can punch them both for being so stupid, so stubborn, and so selfish to leave us when we need them the most."

"That's why you're angry?"

"Yes, why else would I be angry for?" Katara replied.

"I don't know. Maybe because Zuko forced this to happen because he believed Aang wasn't pulling his weight." Toph said. "At least that's what I would have thought."

"I can't blame Zuko for rushing something that was bound to happen." Katara's smile turned into a sad one. "And I can't blame Aang for not wanting to go into battle with the Fire Lord knowing one of them would die. It's not that simple."

"Sounds simple enough for me." Toph said. "I understand Zuko's desperation very well, Princess, since I'm one of Aang's teachers. But I can't understand, and I won't agree that the only way out of this was to force our hand into war. I don't want to hear any more screams, Katara. I don't want to do this anymore."

"Unfortunately, we're already in this, Toph." Katara let go of Toph's small feet, and pulled her close. "We didn't know what would happen, and I'm sorry we pulled you into this. It sounded so easy, Toph, so easy; and I believed it wouldn't come to this."

"If Aang doesn't come back, what are we going to do?" Toph asked.

"We'll keep fighting." Katara said. "We have to help in every way we can, even without Aang and Zuko."

"I hate them for doing this." Toph sighed. "No one said we'd do this; no one said we'd hear this. I should have stayed with my parents."

"Maybe you're right." Katara held Toph closer. "But this was bound to happen sooner or later. We can't hope things wouldn't have changed if we hadn't joined Aang in this. It's the difference between Zuko and us, Toph; he saw what we didn't want to see. He took action when all we did was hope Aang would grow up and face his fears."

"And this is all he could come up with? War and murder?" Toph asked. "He's not better than his father, Katara. He should have talked to us and try to find a better way!"

"I guess you're right, Toph, but I fear we - I - may have been too hostile." Katara replied. "I don't think we would have listened at the time."

"Of course we wouldn't have." Toph said. "It's madness, all of this. I want out, Katara, I don't want to be here anymore. I want to go back home."

"We need you here, Toph…"

"I can't do this anymore!" Toph interrupted Katara. "I'm afraid, Katara, can't you see? We're not doing anything the grown-ups can't do! We're going to die here, and what good will that do? Tell me!"

"Listen to me, Toph, and listen to me well, because I will only say this once." Katara pulled Toph away. 'We're here because we're the Avatar's friends, and even if he can't end this war, it doesn't mean we won't help in any way we want."

"But…"

"Let me speak, Toph." Katara placed her hand over Toph's lips. "You're right, I am also afraid, and I fear the moment will come when we will be forced to choose between our lives and those of others, and I don't want to become a killer.

We can do things not every adult can do, Toph, and that gives us a responsibility as Benders, and to Aang, who trusts in us to help him. If Zuko and Aang are willing to give their lives, why can't we? We may not be royalty or the Avatar, but we're powerful on our own, and if we can help save lives, shouldn't we do it? Shouldn't we help?"

Toph remained in silence for a long time, in which Katara returned to her task, trying to heal her friend's small feet as fast as she could.

"And what if we have to stop Zuko, Katara?" Toph finally asked. "What are we going to do; kill him or let him kill us?"

"I don't think we'll get to that." Katara smiled.

"How can you be so sure?" Toph demanded. "He's caused the whole world to get upside down, Princess! What if he doesn't stop after he's taken down his father? What if he decides the world would be better under his rule?"

"And what if he's alone, fighting against the whole world, and we're not there to help him?" Katara asked. "It's crazy, I know, but I have to believe there is a way out of this, Toph; even if we'll be forced to settle a score with Zuko afterwards - but I don't think there would have been a magical solution out of this."

"Is it too much to hope for?" Toph sadly smiled. "For a miracle to appear out of nowhere and show us a way out of this? Wouldn't that be great?"

"Yes, it would be great." Katara smiled. "But that doesn't happen in the real world, and right now, we can't wait for it. We can only fight hard and hope Aang gets it all together and decides to help us."

"So that's it?" Toph asked. "That means we're alone, Katara? You, Sokka, Suki and me? We're what's left of our group?"

"For the moment, yes." Katara looked away, not able to stare into Toph's sad face. "And I don't think I could bear to lose another one, Toph. It may be selfish of me to say this, but I have lost too much, and I don't want to lose you. If you don't want to fight anymore, alright, it's fine, but please don't leave. I need all of you here in order to be strong, to know what to do without fearing for myself. If I put all of you before myself, I can go on."

"You sound like my mother." Toph sniffed. "But you're not old enough to be mother to us, Princess, we're not old enough to be here. I get it now, Katara, I get what Zuko saw."

Katara sighed, and thought for long about a proper response. A sudden gust of wind blew her hair on her face, surprising her and making her realize the wind had not moved at all for the time being.  
She looked up, and saw the small figure of the Avatar gliding above them, surely surveying the battle ground before landing.

"Aang is back." Katara said. "See? We're slowly getting back together, Toph."

"I wish I were that optimistic, Princess." Toph rubbed her eyes and put on a brave smile for Katara.

"Let's go greet him and slap him for leaving us." Katara stood up and pulled Toph's hand, dragging her along.

Both girls met with the Avatar as he landed, wearing a big grin on his face.

"Katara! Toph! It's so good to see you!" He said, running to them.

"I wish I could say the same." Toph said. "But that doesn't save you, mister! Why did you leave us?"

"There were some unfinished business I had to take care of." Aang said, with a cryptic smile.

"What did you do?" Katara asked, feeling something odd running through her spine.

"Found something you lost." Aang said, pulling the necklace out of his pocket. "This belongs to you."

Katara stared at the carved rock hanging from the red lace, held in Aang's hand, not understanding the implications of it.

"You found Zuko." She whispered as she took her necklace. "Where is he?"

"Where he won't hurt anyone else." Aang replied.

"What did you do, Aang?" Katara asked, not liking what the Avatar was implying.

"Zuko will not be a problem anymore, Katara." Aang sighed. "Last I saw him, he wouldn't be able to walk for a while."

Katara did not reply, not knowing whether to be happy or sad from what she had just heard. She guessed she had to be happy, because the Avatar was back with them; and the main instigator of the war they were fighting had been defeated.

But she couldn't stop thinking that Aang had just delivered Zuko to his enemies, and that the one card hidden beneath their sleeve had been lost.

**End of Chapter.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

**A/N: **Chapter twenty four of the series. Once again, I apologize, but this time because of the shortness of the chapter. Things are wrapping up, so thanks to everyone out there who's still reading this. Thanks again to Rosey; without her, these chapters would have never seen the light of day.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar… belongs to Nickelodeon.

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**The Other Side**

Prince Zuko took deep, painful breaths.

He looked around, wondering if he'd get killed right there, on the flying machine his sister commanded in order to get him back to the Fire Nation Capital.

He figured the Avatar had broken a couple of ribs, since he was having some trouble breathing, and he half expected Azula to have brought someone with at least a bit of medical knowledge, or else she'd bring their father a very bruised corpse.

As if his thoughts had been heard, a weary-looking soldier approached him, and seemed a bit afraid to kneel in front of him. Zuko guessed they all hated him, and perhaps feared him, given all he'd done against them in the past weeks.

"Do not move, Prince Zuko." The man said as he looked at Zuko's battered body. "Is there any place where the pain is worse?"

Zuko frowned when the man addressed him as 'Prince', but he quickly erased the thought from his mind. Perhaps everybody in the Fire Nation was so used to thinking of him as royalty that it could have been a mere slip of tongue.

"My chest." Zuko replied. "I can't breathe. I guess I have a couple of ribs broken."

"Anything more urgent?" The man seemed a bit apologetic as he voiced his question. "Princess Azula made it clear that she merely wants you to live long enough to reach the Fire Nation."

"Of course." Zuko chuckled. "I need to breathe in order to get back home, then. I need water and something to make the burns more manageable."

"Very well, sir." The man nodded and opened a small bag he carried along, taking out several clean bandages and herbs. "I'll wrap your midsection as tight as you can handle it. These herbs should lessen the pains."

Zuko stared at the herbs, wondering what the man was waiting for him to do.

**  
**"Chew them." The medic said upon noticing the strange look Prince Zuko gave to the herbs. "There are… some side effects, though."

"Side effects?" Asked Zuko, before throwing the herbs into his mouth. "I don't care as long as they work."

"You have no idea." The medic smiled. "Now, stand still as I wrap your ribs."

Zuko nodded, and realized the herbs didn't taste weird at all. He wondered where the medic had found them, and thought about asking him where could he find them in the future.

'If you have a future.' He thought. He was now in the worst place he could think of, trapped inside a flying contraption, with no way out and with his sister staring at him all the time.

The pain on his ribs brought him back, but the herbs did seem to work, because the sharp sensation on his chest began to diminish.

"Hey, these things do work!" He exclaimed in surprise, then wondered why he sounded so happy about it. The medic merely nodded and smiled back at him.

"What are you so happy about?" Azula appeared next to him. "You shouldn't be so happy about your imminent demise."

"We're all going to die one day, little sister." Zuko replied. "Difference is, I know when and how I will meet my end."

"Oh, it was bound to happen, Zuzu." Azula smiled. "We all knew you were living on borrowed time. Father should have killed you a long time ago."

"Yes, he should have." Zuko nodded. "And I know I should have killed you long ago."

"I don't think you have it in you, dear brother." Azula kept grinning. "You're so like mother, weak and frail."

"Mother sends her regards, by the way." Zuko said, and enjoyed the sudden look of confusion that crossed Azula's features. "I guess you didn't know she's alive?"

"An… unexpected development." Azula replied, quickly recovering her composure. "One more loose end that will be wrapped up nicely once we find Uncle Iroh."

"You're no match for them. You know that?" Zuko asked, feeling the need to taunt his sister. "Uncle is far more powerful than you will ever be."

"I'm still young, Zuzu, and have a long life ahead of me." Azula replied. "Shame we can't say the same about you."

"Oh, but I have learned a couple of things you will never learn, sister." Zuko said. "I have seen things you couldn't imagine; things that would make even you pause."

"Once I'm in control of everything, few things will make me pause." Azula savagely replied. "No one will stop me once you and that accursed Avatar are dead."

"You shouldn't worry about the Avatar." Zuko laughed. "That kid poses no threat to you. You should worry more about Uncle Iroh andMother. Those two will give you a run for your money."

"Talk to me about them, Zuzu." Azula kneeled down next to her sibling. "Tell me all I need to hear."

"Well, they are alive and coming for you, little sister." Zuko said, staring into her eyes. "That should tell you enough."

"Thanks for the heads up." Azula kept her eyes fixed on her brother's. "I'll be sure to keep an eye out for them."

"Doesn't matter if you do." Zuko chuckled. "I can even tell you when and where they will attack. On a fair fight, you have no prayer against them. Even in your madness you must know that it doesn't matter how good you are, there will always be someone better."

"Then I just have to outlive them, don't I?" Azula said. "Time is on my side."

"Really? So after I'm dead, who's next? Father?" Zuko asked. "Then who? Do you plan on killing or maiming the entire world?"

"You know I'm more than willing to do it." Azula replied. "It's just a matter of playing my cards well."

"Dear little Azula." Zuko shook his head. "You keep thinking you're playing your own game, but let me tell you a secret."

Zuko leaned towards his sister, ignoring the annoyed look the medic gave him.

"This is not our game." Zuko hissed. "This is a game that began when Fire Lord Sozin declared war on the entire world. We're just playing the roles we're supposed to fulfill."

"We're royalty, Zuzu." Azula hissed back. "We don't play by others' rules."

"Of course we do, little sister." Zuko leaned back. "If you weren't, you would have already killed me and father, yet you still need both of us, don't you?"

Azula's eyes smoldered like twin burning coals.

"You need me to keep father's good will towards you." Zuko said. "You still need father alive in order to make you Fire Lord. You think you're in control, Azula, but you're playing the part father meant for you to play."

"Tell yourself that, Zuzu." Azula looked at the medic, who understood and slowly stood up and left. "Even if it's a game, your part will soon come to an end."

"I already left the game, little sister." Zuko smiled and relaxed. "But you? You will have to keep playing, even after you become Fire Lord. You'll have to keep the pace our family left for you. Me? I'm free, Azula, something I don't think you'll ever be."

Azula violently struck Zuko with the back of her hand, knocking the Prince down.

"The truth hurts, huh?" Zuko laughed and spat a mouthful of blood. "Careful with the package, sister, father won't be glad if you rob him of the chance to murder me."

"Shut up!" Azula shouted as she stood up. "You know what, Zuzu? You speak of freedom and games, but the truth is, I will be smiling as I see father torture you, and then I will ask for the honor of ending your life. And know this; it will not be swift or painless."

"I know that." Zuko slowly sat back upright. "But I knew it would happen sooner or later. It was part of my choices, Azula. What are your choices?"

"I would gladly live as a slave if that meant killing you any time, Zuzu." Azula grinned. "How's that for choices?"

"What a great family we make." Zuko sighed. "What happened, Azula? Where did we fail you?"

"Oh, Zuzu, if you only knew how hard my life has been." Azula mimicked a sweet voice. "Where should I start? Maybe if you only loved me more?"

Zuko looked away as Azula began laughing hysterically, and realized there was nothing they could have done to help her.

"Thing is," Azula continued, now in her normal voice. "I have always been like this, and no one noticed, except for father. He saw what I really am, and he didn't wish to change me, he accepted me as I am."

"A lunatic, same as he." Zuko said. "Must run in the family."

"What does it feel like, Zuzu?" Azula asked. "To take a life. Did you feel powerful?"

"You'll find out soon enough, Azula." Zuko replied. "After I'm dead, you will know how it feels."

"Oh, I bet it will be quite fulfilling." Azula said. "I can't wait to see your dead body."

"If father allows you." Zuko said, closing his eyes and relaxing. "You're still under his thumb, little sister. I have nothing to fear from you as long as you keep playing his game. Now let me rest until we get home, I have the feeling that tomorrow will be a long day."

Azula bristled with rage, but she was extremely good at controlling her emotions.

"Good idea, big brother." She said, also leaning back. "Don't want to be too tired when I flay the skin off your bones."

"Sweet dreams, little sister." Zuko said.

"Sweet dreams, Zuzu." Azula said. "Try to have a decent last sleep."

**End of Chapter**


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

**A/N:** Chapter twenty five of the series. I'm so very, very sorry for not uploading earlier, but several situations prevented me from doing so. Hope you're still there reading this. As always, thanks to Rosey for her help with this chapter.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar… belongs to Nickelodeon

* * *

**Birthright**

Zuko woke up to a swift kick to his ribs, courtesy of his sister.

"We home now?" Zuko asked, rubbing his tired eyes. He felt his body numb and his head unclear, wondering if those were the 'side effects' the medic had warned him about earlier. He shook his head, cursing himself for being naïve and stupid enough to chew unknown herbs given to him by a member of the Fire Nation.

"Home?" Azula asked with a large grin on her face. "You've got no home, Zuzu. I'd more accurately describe this as the site of your execution, big brother."

"Aren't you rushing things, little sister?" Zuko answered as he stood up, feeling his body as heavy as if it was made of lead. "Father still hasn't ordered you to kill me."

"Like I said, it's a matter of time." Azula replied, pushing Zuko through the flying machine's door; his feet almost tripping down the ramp. When he finally recovered his balance, Zuko covered his eyes, as bright sunlight hit him directly from above, giving the Fire Nation's Capital an eerie glow.

"There's no place like home." Zuko muttered.

"Move it." Azula pushed him again from behind. "I can't wait to see father's face when I present you to him; all I need now is a big, red ribbon."

"Already had it." Zuko muttered and looked at his wrist. "It was a nice ribbon."

"What are you talking about?" Azula asked, genuinely puzzled. "Those herbs really did a number on you."

"Could be all the blows to the head." Zuko sighed as he kept walking, feeling hurt all over, but still strong enough to go on. He looked around, a bit of heartache pulsing inside, feeling like a stranger in the place he had once called home.

It seemed his plan had been successful; Fire Nation citizens were cautious by nature, but the general mood seemed to be that of paranoia. He had planted the seeds of doubt, and figured the rest of the world was sowing them by the handful.

"You know, I always knew it would end like this." Azula said, suddenly walking next to her brother.

"I've wanted to kill you for a very long time now, Zuzu, and no one will be able to stop me this time."

"How great are your victories, little sister." Zuko said. "You almost killed the Avatar striking him from behind, like a coward. And now you want to execute me when I can barely lift a finger. You must feel very, very proud of yourself."

In a rare display of raw emotion, Azula struck Zuko's face with the back of her hand, sending him sprawling to the ground.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that!" She shrieked. "I have done more than you'll ever do! You're a shame to our nation! A shame to our family!"

"Touched a nerve, little sister." Zuko coughed and struggled to stand up. "I was beginning to think you didn't have emotions at all."

"Oh, I have them." Azula hissed as she grabbed a handful of Zuko's hair, pulling hard. "I will enjoy your death far more than conquering that rotten city or becoming the next Fire Lord!"

"Are you so sure, little sister?" Zuko smiled and stared into the golden eyes of his sister. "Let's see how well you sleep after you murder me, because you don't know how that feels, do you?"

"It's a pleasure that has been denied to me for too long, Zuzu." Azula almost growled. "I don't think I'll lose sleep at all, my hated brother, on the contrary, I'll sleep much better knowing you're no longer in this world."

"A coward and a thief, little sister." Zuko growled back. "You shouldn't even be the Crown Princess – that was our cousin's birthright- and now you feel so proud of that. You dirty, little rat."

Azula lifted her free hand, and was about to smack it against Zuko's face when some sort of reasoning took place within her mind. Letting go of her brother's hair, she spat at his feet and laughed.

"As much pleasure as it would give me to slap you to death, dear Zuzu, I still have to deliver you to father." she said. "I want you to see when he names me the next Fire Lord."

"Sure." Zuko shrugged and began walking again, his steps much firmer than before. "But let me ask you something, little sister, before we go see father."

"What is it, Zuzu?" she asked, her voice wavering with insanity.

"Who do you think they're more afraid of?" Zuko asked and pointed at the citizens scurrying away from them. "Of you, the insane little girl? Or of me, the one who's been killing them all one town at a time?"

The Crown Princess lost the battle with herself and punched Zuko as hard as she could, almost knocking him out in the process.

"After I kill you in front of them all, who do you think?" she shouted. Every soldier and every citizen around them suddenly became very quiet as they witnessed their Princess losing her remarkable temper. It took Azula a while to realize it, and she quickly struggled to regain her composure.

The punch had left Zuko seeing stars, and for a moment, he saw himself from above, and wondered when he had lost all sanity. It was odd, for him to be taunting his sister so much, as if he felt the raw need to push her to the utmost limit. Not that it was a strange feeling, given his almost unnatural ability to bring out the worst in every person he met, but at the moment it was frankly scary. He could see his eyes rolling up his skull, as golden as his sister's, but hers were wide open and ablaze with fury. Made him remember blue eyes –almost an entire day without thinking about them – and wonder if he was feeling a bit suicidal.

But that was not it, and he knew it, because even if the Water Bender resented him, her eyes had never smoldered with the calculated fury he saw in Azula's golden eyes. A contradiction in itself, because all the barely contained golden rage didn't go deeper than the moment required; nothing like the countless and endless emotions he saw in the ocean of blue.

'Why is it,' he thought as he saw his body twitch, 'that I can only think of her when I'm in pain? Are my emotions so linked to hers? So similar?'

He didn't want to think about it, and surely not as he felt himself being pulled back to the current situation he was in. He couldn't let himself get lost in blue when gold was about to kill him on the spot.

"Seems you attracted a whole lot of attention, little sister." Zuko rubbed his jaw as he recovered control of himself. "Now that everybody is listening, I'd like to ask you another thing."

"What is it?" she smiled at him and crossed her arms.

As fast as his injured body allowed him, Zuko quickly reached out and grabbed his sister's neck, squeezing as hard as he could.

"Agni Kai." he said loudly. "I may be a prisoner and branded a traitor, but I'm still the Prince of this Nation! I challenge you to Agni Kai!"

The guards behind struck him with their spears, knocking him down, leaving a very surprised princess touching her throat. Looking around, she realized he had tricked her into lowering her guard, and had issued a challenge he knew she wouldn't turn down.

"Very well, big brother." Azula replied. "Agni Kai it is. I'll make sure father knows about it."

The guards didn't bother to pick Zuko up and merely dragged him behind as Azula resumed their walk.

"Very well, indeed." Zuko whispered, a sad smile on his face.

**End of Chapter**


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26  
**

**A/N:** Chapter twenty six of the series. Thanks for all of your comments and your words. My gratitude once again goes to Rosey for her invaluable aid.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar… belongs to Nickelodeon.

* * *

**The Lotus Blooms Again  
**

Sokka turned over and over the Pai Sho tile given to him by Master Piandao, wondering exactly how important it was, since the same symbol was present on his sword.

He sat quietly on his make shift quarters, built by Toph, in order to protect them all from the ever present – literal – enemy fire. Sokka gripped the small tile hard, closed his eyes, and prayed that the answer would come to him, as many others had suddenly appeared when he least expected them.

What sounded like thunder shook the shelter, and small rocks fell from the roof, but Sokka still didn't open his eyes.

Master Piandao had been vague in his teachings and even more so with his words.

A second crash did alert him, his eyelids slowly moving to reveal his current situation to him: hidden underground, holding a sword in one hand and a Pai Sho tile in the other, a small cot to his right, as a makeshift bed, and untouched food to his left.

'Look at my palace.' he thought. He had grown to love the small refuge his friend had procured for them.

Without the Earth Benders, he was sure their army would have been slaughtered long ago.

He let go of his tile and his sword and rubbed his tired eyes, remembering a time when he'd been eager to walk with his father to war.

If he had known what war truly was, he'd been glad to wait a couple more years; decades even.

"Here you are." A girl's voice was heard, and Sokka didn't need to remove his hands from his eyes in order to recognize who it was. It was a voice he'd heard every day for the last fourteen years.

"I wanted to rest for a while." Sokka replied, lowering his hands and lifting his tired gaze. "And perhaps get the blood stains off."

"It never gets off." Katara whispered as she knelt in front of him. "I've tried. Even if I try to bend it…, the blood just seems to stay there."

"How does he do it?" Sokka asked. "Zuko, I mean. He's not that much older than we are, and yet we've heard he's wiped out entire towns. I haven't killed anyone, Sis, and I still haven't been able to sleep for the past four days."

"I know." Katara replied. "And the constant fire raining from above doesn't help."

"How is Toph?" Sokka asked, a worried look on his face.

"She's scared; Very scared." Katara answered. "She still jumps every time one of those fireballs hit us. She doesn't want to go out there again, and I don't want her to go out as well. She's the one who's kept us alive for so long."

"Any word on… you know?" Sokka's questions continued, trying to keep the sound of the battle outside away from them, and pretend they were just brother and sister talking.

"Nobody knows where he is." Katara shook her head and unconsciously hugged herself. "Maybe I was too hard on him… maybe I shouldn't have said what I said…"

"It was what everybody was thinking." Sokka lifted one hand, as if to dismiss her worries. "He's a kid, but he's the Avatar, and he should be there for the world when it needs him, not the other way around."

"We sure could use his help." Katara sighed. "Dad and the others are doing their best, and the Fire Nation seems more disorganized than ever, but their army is still far stronger than us all."

"And the comet…" Sokka left the words hanging in the air.

"The comet." Katara repeated. "It must be getting closer, because the Fire Benders seem to be getting stronger. It's not overwhelming, but I have been noticing that we're growing weaker and it's been harder to defeat them."

"I wish we had Toph up and running." Sokka picked up his sword again. "Her metal bending could be very helpful out there."

"I know, but she's doing her part, keeping all of these shelters up and solid."

Katara said. "No other Earth Bender could have held them up for this long. How's Suki, by the way?"

"She and her friends are out there, doing what they were trained for." Sokka grimly said. "It's scary how good they are at it."

"They were expecting this moment, Sokka." Katara said. "We were not. Don't you sometimes feel that we were so sure we'd win because we were the Avatar's friends?"

"Of course." Sokka gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.

"We were supposed to just help him get here and he'd end it all with one swing of that staff of his. Incidentally, where are we?"

"Dad says that less than a day away from the Fire Nation Capital." Katara shuddered. "It's also harder to measure distances after travelingaboarda flying bison for so long."

"And once we get there, what are we supposed to do?" Sokka asked. "Kill them all  
and pay them with the same coin they handled the Air Nomads? Have we thought that far?"

"There's no turning back now, Sokka." Katara said, her arms still tight around herself. "With or without Aang, we had to do something. If we waited for the comet to come and go, the world would have become a bunch of ashes."

"Yet the comet is still approaching, and we're now walking into the enemy's home field." Sokka said and his voice wavered for an instant. "What if Aang doesn't show up, Katara? We could do nothing against Azula before, Sis, imagine what kind of monster she'll become with the comet around. Imagine how powerful her father will become."

"I'm trying not to think about that." Katara shook her head once again. "We'll deal with that when the moment comes. I think right now the thing is to keep those monsters where we can see them, and attack before the comet arrives."

"It's a bit suspicious, don't you think?" Sokka said. "That Fire Lord, excuse me, the Phoenix King, hasn't left his comfy citadel and attacked us."

"He probably knows by now that Aang isn't with us." Katara replied. "And he doesn't consider us that much of a threat. Yet. If we manage to get through this last line of defense and reach his capital, then I guarantee you we'll meet the Fire Lord, or whatever his name is, face to face."

"And I'm not looking forward to that." Sokka said.

Another boom, louder than the previous ones, shook them from their conversation.

Without hesitating, both siblings stood up and ran towards the small metal door which led them to the outside and quickly left the shelter.

Outside, it was as if the world had lost all its colors save for black and red, as flame and stone flew back and forth around them.

Fire Benders and Earth Benders were locked in deadly combat as Water Benders and non benders wereat the flanks of their battle formations.

Water Benders had long ago ran out of their element to fight, and were using their own sweat as a last resort, causing many of them to become dehydrated and too tired to fight.

Shouts and screams could be heard for miles around, and the dead and the wounded were too many to count, making Katara and Sokka feel like they were in the middle of hell.

"I'll go join dad's unit!" Sokka shouted in order to be heard above all the noise. "You go help the wounded!"

Katara nodded and they quickly hugged, not wanting to think that it could be the last time they saw each other alive, and trying to share as much courage as they had left.

Sokka ran as fast as he could, going west, to where he knew his father's unit would be fighting.

His father's words still echoed in his mind and in his heart – protect your sister – but he knew she could take care of herself.

He was more worried about Suki and her Kyoshi warriors, but he couldn't allow himself a moment of hesitation, not there, and especially not where he was headed.

Fire fell from the sky like water, exploding everywhere around him, yet he didn't slow down.

It was the last push, and both he and everyone else fighting knew it. If the Fire Nation Army lost that last post, nothing would stop the rest of the world from advancing into their Capital, and then all of hell would break loose.

A large fireball appeared right above Sokka, and he cursed himself for letting his mind wander, even for a second.

Everything slowed down around him, as the light from the projectile hurt his eyes and the heat melted down the paint on his face. He wanted to close his eyes and lift his hands to protect him, but he knew if he did so, he would surely be killed.

With all his strength, he slashed out with his sword; a perfect thrust which cut the blazing projectile in half. But it was not over; the two parts would not explode in him, but they would detonate as soon as they touched ground.

Sokka closed his eyes and covered himself, thinking about Toph and how fortunate she was to be underground; about Suki and how he wished he could have kissed her one more time; about Yue and his mother, and if he would see them again after he died.

The detonation did not come as Sokka expected, because all that hit his left foot was a small, cold piece of stone.

"What the…?"

"Don't lose hope, young Master Sokka." A man with white hair spoke. A man Sokka was sure he'd seen before.

"That sword is indeed a good one." Another elder man appeared next to the last and Sokka knew this one.

"Of course," A third man with white hair said. "Master Piandao helped him create it."

Sokka blinked hard two times -- three, four, five times, before he recognized those who had suddenly appeared.

"Master Piandao?" he asked, his surprise evident in his stained face. "Jeong Jeong? King Bumi?"

"And others, young Master Sokka." Jeong Jeong replied with a smile in his face.

"Sorry for the delay, but there were other pending matters keeping us busy."

"What? When? Where?"

"All will be explained in due time, Sokka." Piandao said. "Now, we are here to help you."

Sokka smiled as he took a good look at the powerful men standing in front of him, wearing identical tunics and carrying with them a flag with the symbol of the White Lotus on it.

"Take a break, young man." King Bumi said and took a deep breath. "For once, let us old men do our jobs."

And the battle took a turn the Fire Nation never expected.

**End of Chapter  
**


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

**A/N:** Chapter twenty seven of the series. Thanks to Rosey for her help.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar… belongs to Nickelodeon.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
**Amazing Grace**

A single thought had been lodged inside Sokka's head during the past hour and a half; a single bittersweet idea that made him realize just how small the world was and how many powerful people lived in it.

What they had been unable to do in years, a handful of people had managed to do in hours. They weren't young, but they were incredibly strong and intelligent, capable of feats he thought were impossible until then. 'It's unbelievable.' he thought. 'If we had known - If I had known - then maybe more lives could have been saved. Maybe Yue could have been saved.'

The amazement he felt at the Order of the White Lotus quickly turned into anger. How dared they to wait for Aang? How dared they to not lift a hand to help the world? Were they not powerful enough to end a war without waiting for a child? What were they thinking? What did they want?

His rage died as soon as it had appeared, replaced by what seemed to be infinite sadness;

Even the largest snowball began as a snowflake – in their case because of Zuko's actions – which none of them could predict where it would crash unto.

A large wall of rock rose in front of him, providing him with cover to the weak fireballs still raining from the sky; the remnants of the few Fire Nation soldiers who still didn't accept defeat. Turning around, he saw a very pale Toph - hands shaking and her hair disheveled - but looking thankfully unharmed.

"Thanks, Toph." Sokka said. "Wouldn't want another fireball to sneak upon me."

"It's alright." Toph replied. "I heard we received some unexpected aid; is thatright?"

"The Order of the White Lotus." Sokka said, not knowing whether to be thankful or resentful towards them. "They wiped the floor with the enemy."

"Is it over, now?" Toph asked, her voice wavering. "What are we going to do next?"

Sokka walked towards her, feeling very tired and very glad to see someone he cared about without a scratch on her.

"Now we wait until everything's quiet again." hesaid, as he softly patted the top of Toph's head.

"Then it's all the way to the Fire Nation capital. With the guys from the White Lotus, I think we now have a good shot at winning this war."

"We won't wait for Aang?" she asked, as a soft blush covered her face. "Are we going to do this without him?"

"I guess it's all up to him, now." Sokka replied, wondering about the sudden change in coloration of Toph's face. "But I guess that if he wanted to be here, he would be here already."

"Who would have thought?" Toph asked, and suppressed a sigh as Sokka's hand left her head. "Where's Katara? Where's Suki?"

"Katara is tending to the wounded." Sokka replied. "And Suki…, well, I don't know where she is."

A loud sound overcame them for a moment, seeming to stretch far longer than it should, and then disappeared leaving everything around them in silence.

"Wow." Toph whispered. "That's weird."

"The battle is over." Sokka stated. "I guess we won, since there's no more fire coming from above."

Toph nodded and lowered the large rock wall surrounding them, revealing to Sokka their bleak surroundings, causing him to look away for a while and focus his eyes on Toph's small figure.

"Can you find Katara?" Toph timidly asked. "Can I come with you?"

"Sure." Sokka took a while to respond, trying to get himself together. "Come on, let's go."

Sokka reached out for Toph's hand, knowing she needed a guide, and looking for some sort of comfort from her. They walked around slowly, aware of the situation, wanting to savor the peace for as long as they could.

"I can see her." Sokka soon said. "She's helping the wounded. Guess we should be thankful that there aren't too many."

"And the dead?" Toph softly asked, her hand tightly gripping Sokka's.

"Not too many." Sokka answered. He hoped he could have lied, but Toph could tell if he was by the way his heart thumped. "Sometimes I envy you, Toph. I wish I couldn't see much of this stuff."

"Then you wouldn't have been of too much help." she replied. "I just cowered underground for most of the time."

"You kept us alive, and you kept yourself alive, that's all I care about." Sokka replied. "Here's Katara."

The blue eyed Water Bender looked up from where she knelt, smiling at the sight of her brother and her friend. She quickly finished healing the injured man laying in front of her and went to join Sokka and Toph.

"I'm so glad you're both alright." Katara said as she hugged them. "It's so incredible, these White Lotus Guys. I never thought they were so powerful."

"Could have used their help a bit sooner." Sokka said, a tinge of anger in his voice. "But I guess they were also waiting for someone whose name will not be mentioned at the time."

"Don't be unfair." Katara said, letting go of them. "Aang still has much to think about, I think. But he will come through in the end."

"I doubt it." Sokka sighed. "Doesn't matter anymore, does it? It seems we have all the help we needed with these guys here."

Both girls nodded and were about to reply when Master Piandao slowly approached them. He wore a tired smile as he waved at them. Sokka tried very hard not to look at the stained sword, knowing Katara was feeling the same way, and he once again envied Toph's lack of sight

.  
"It's good to see you." Piandao said. "How are you? How are you feeling?"

"Tired, angry and anxious." Sokka replied. "I assure you I speak for the three of us."

"As I expected." Piandao nodded. "Fortunately, we could end this before more lives are lost."

Something twitched on Sokka's face, and it did not go unnoticed by Master Piandao.

"I know what you're thinking, Sokka." the man said. "We should have acted sooner. But everything happens at the time it must happen; not a moment sooner and not a moment later. I'll introduce you to Guru Pathik, and then you'll understand what I'm talking about."

"Whatever. I'm too tired and hungry to argue." Sokka shook his head. "I'm just too tired to be angry at you."

"It's understandable that you are at your limit." Piandao continued. "You and your friends; but there is no time to rest. We need to hurry up; time is of the essence right now. We managed to pry some very important information from one of the soldiers we captured."

A cold shiver ran down Katara's spine, feeling as if she already knew what Master Piandao was about to tell them.

"He told us that the young Prince of the Fire Nation has been captured, and his execution has been ordered by the Phoenix King." Piandao said. "But do not falter, my young friends, because it seems your friend managed to buy himself – and us – some time; barely enough for us to reach thecapital in time."

"What do you mean?"Katara asked.

"He challenged the Princess to Agni Kai." Master Piandao replied.

"What's that?" Sokka asked, feeling that he would not like the answer.

"A death duel." Another man wearing robes with the White Lotus appeared. "A barbaric tradition within our Nation. I'm sure you have seen the after effects of them on my nephew's face."

"I know you." Toph whispered. "Your heartbeat and your voice…, you're General Iroh."

Sokka and Katara were genuinely shocked; they wouldn't have imagined the Dragon of the West could be a member of the White Lotus.

"I'm glad you remember me, children." Iroh said with kindness. "I wish we could have met under merrier circumstances, but better times will come, I assure you."

"What are we going to do about this death duel?" Katara asked.

"Hope we can reach them in time." Iroh said, as his eyes quickly glanced at Katara's necklace. "When did you…?"

"It doesn't matter." Katara quickly covered the carved rock with her hands. "But I want to make sure he's still alive so I can ask him what possessed him to take this from me."

"An interesting question, young lady." Iroh nodded. "We should hurry, then."

"When will this happen?" Katara's voice took an icier tone.

"The day after tomorrow." Piandao replied. "It seems they won't wait until the comet arrives, so that there is no doubt of Princess Azula's powers."

"Then we should get moving." Katara said, touching her necklace and meeting Iroh's worried eyes.

"We have a friend to save."

**End of Chapter**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

**A/N:** Chapter twenty eight in the series. Thanks again to Rosey for her great help, so if you catch any grammatical mistakes here, it's her fault, hehe.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar… belongs to Nickelodeon.

* * *

**With a Little Help from my Friends  
**  
Azula thought her father's eyes were about to explode.

The news coming from the front was less than pleasing, prompting a wall of blue flame to surround the current Phoenix King; making even Azula take a few steps back.

"This is unacceptable." The king said, his voice dangerously low. "Who is responsible for this failure?"

The soldiers kneeling in front of him shivered, knowing their lives were on the line.****

"Our general fell in battle, My Lord." One of them quickly answered. "Only a few of us survived, and those who weren't taken as prisoners flew back to the city."

"Why?" Ozai asked, the fire around him flaring for a moment. "You should have defended your position, or die trying."

"We believed it best to come with this dire news to you, My Lord." the same soldier continued, hoping he could come up with a reasonable excuse and manage to keep his life. "And to inform you of your brother's part in our defeat."

"My brother?" Ozai's voice wavered. "What has Iroh to do with all of this?"

"He's one of those who turned the tide of the battle, My Lord." The soldier carried on. "He and some other Benders from different nations. They all wore identical robes, my lord, with…"

"A white lotus in it, yes." Ozai interrupted. "I thought this order to be extinct by now. Another mistake."

"My Lord?"

"Azula." Ozai said, his voice again soft. "What do you think we should do?"

"I believe our soldiers are lacking in discipline, Father." Azula replied, with a cruel smile on her face. "Now that the enemy is knocking on our door – literally – we should set some…examples."

"My thoughts exactly." Ozai said. "Take these three cowards and execute them in front of every remaining soldier we have. As of now, my dear daughter, you are Fire Lord, and your first act as such will be to lead my troops to victory."

"I'm pleased, Father, but I thought…"

"You thought what?" Ozai shouted. "There is no time for a coronation! Not with the enemy outside my gates! Bring me the head of my brother and I will give you the greatest ceremony you have ever seen! Now go and do as I say!"

"Yes, Father." Azula bowed before her father and left the room, glancing at the three poor souls she was about to execute.

"Bring them to the front yard." she said to another soldier standing guard. "Assemble the army. All of it. Oh, and every citizen as well, if you may."

"Yes, Fire Lord." The soldier nodded.

It sounded strange to her ears, to be called as such, but what bothered her the most was that she didn't have the crown on top or ofher head, and her brother had not witnessed the moment their father had given her what was rightfully his.

'Speaking of you, big brother, let's see how you are doing.' she thought as she slowly headed towards the dungeons. She figured she had to give the useless guards a little while to assemble the remaining soldiers and their entire Nation, all the while feeling something growing at the bottom of her stomach.

It struck her a couple of minutes later; she had never killed anyone, and now she had been ordered to execute three men in front of hundreds of people.

A second later, she threw up her breakfast all over the wall.  
----------------------------

Alone in a dark pit, Zuko wondered how much longer they would keep him waiting.

He was cold, hurt, and hungry; yet he didn't dare to fire bend in order to preserve as much energy as he could. He didn't know how much time he had left, but he was sure his sister had ordered him to be kept only alive, not well treated, until his execution came.

For the last hours, or days, or however long he'd been there, the only thing he'd eaten had been a cup of water and bread - enough to keep him alive but not enough to recover his strength.

Zuko stared at his bandaged arms for a long time; they had been stained with blood long ago, but now they were covered with dirt and other things he didn't want to know what they were. The pain in his arms and his body had lessened, but that didn't mean he was improving.

Maybe he was slowly dying, and his body was growing numb by the minute.

Fear and anxiousness kept surrounding his mind, trying to erode his already weakened state and throw him into despair. Zuko shook his head, and focused instead on trying to feel his energy course through his body, giving him as much heat as he could.

Blessed warmth ran all over his back, and he even welcomed the searing pain in his burnt arms and smiled when he could see his own breath.

"I wondered if I would ever see you again."

The voice scared Zuko, whose back had been turned against the iron bars, unable to see, and too distracted to hear if someone approached.

Still, he didn't need to turn around to recognize the voice that was now speaking to him. It was one more of the trails that awaited him.

"Hello, Mai." He said softly, without turning. "How have you been?"

"I have been better." she replied, her voice as monotonous as ever. "My family, however, is not. Father died last night, fighting in the revolution you inspired."

"I'm sorry." Zuko sighed. "I looked for you."

"In the Boiling Rock, yes, I've heard." Mai said. "Reckless – and foolish – of you, since my uncle was the warden and I didn't spend the night there. By the way, my uncle also died when you raided the prison."

"I'm sorry for that, too." Zuko sighed.

"Is that all you have to say?" Mai asked. "After all you've done, after everything and everyone you left behind, that is all you can say?"

"It's the truth." Zuko slowly stood up, feeling bones crack and muscles scream in pain. "I never meant to cause you any harm."

"But you have!" Mai lost her temper for what seemed to be the first time in her life. "What were you thinking, Zuko? Take on the entire Fire Nation by yourself? That is treason, it's murder, and it's crazy! What made you think you could do it?"

"It's already done, Mai." Zuko then turned to face her, and she gasped when she saw the deplorable state he was in. "From what I've seen and heard, the enemy is closer than ever before, and that means my job is done."

"Your job?" Mai asked, walking closer to the bars. "What do you think you've accomplished, Zuko? The murder of your people? Of your very kind? The downfall of your family?"

"That's exactly what I was doing when you helped me escape the Boiling Rock." Zuko replied. "But then you all thought it would be The Avatar the one who would do it all."

"Because that's what The Avatar is supposed to do!" Mai shouted again. "What are you doing, Zuko? Tell me, because I don't understand! You have slaughtered half of the Fire Nation Army; you got captured and are waiting to be executed! Was this part of your plan?"

"Believe it or not, yes." Zuko approached the bars as well. "I actually didn't think I'd get to live this far, Mai. I thought the moment Azula got to me that would be it. Guess I should be thankful that she hasn't killed anyone… yet."**  
**  
"That is about to change, Zuko." Mai said, her eyes revealing infinite sadness. "She has been named Fire Lord, and her first charge is to execute the soldiers responsible for losing the battle last night."

"And you think she'll use this chance to kill me as well." Zuko stated, no question in his words. "That puts a damperin my plans."

"You're still talking about plans?" Mai seemed furious. "We're talking about lives, Zuko! Not only of those poor soldiers, but yours as well! What happened to you? Why are you so cold?"

"The world was waiting for a child to save them." Zuko said. "I'm the child who's willing to do so."

"You are mad." Mai began to cry. "But that doesn't matter anymore. Stand back; I'm going to get you out of there."

"And get in trouble for freeing me once again?" Zuko asked. "I'm not going to let you do it. Not this time."

"I'm not asking for your permission, Zuko." Mai said through gritted teeth. "Now stand back or I won't answer for any more injuries on you."

"Mai." Zuko breathed deeply. "You can't do this. I have to face Azula in Agni Kai. If you let me out of here now, I won't be able to protect you."

"Don't underestimate me!" she cried out. "I can protect myself, thank you very much!"

"You're not a Fire Bender, Mai." Zuko softly said. "Besides, haven't you thought that if I wanted to get out of here I would have done so already?"

"What?"

"I'm not here because I want to be, but because I need to be." Zuko continued. "If you free me right now, everything I've done, everything I've gone through, will be for naught. I have to face Azula on my own terms, Mai, and defeat her in good faith."

"She wants to execute you!" Mai shouted again. "There's no fair fight when it concerns Azula! There's no honor in her! If you walk out of here with her it will be to be executed, not to fight in a pointless duel! Why can't you see that?"

"Because I have to buy time!" Zuko lost his patience. "Because I can't win a fight on my own, Mai, and I need to wait for as long as possible. I now know I can't beat Azula, not to mention my father, but I can get those people outside our city walls the precious time they need to get here. Then maybe, just maybe, someone will finally put an end to this war."

"So you're just going to throw your life away?" Mai asked, the tears falling freely down her face. "Don't you care about yourself? Don't you care about me?"

"Of course I care about you." Zuko softly said. "I should have told you about this way before, but I was ashamed of myself. Ashamed of everything I was and of everything I'd done."

"Do you love me?" Mai asked.

"I don't know if I'm capable of loving, Mai." Zuko said. "Do you love me?"

"I… I don't know what love is, Zuko." Mai sighed. "I hoped I could have learned it with you."

"I know I care about you, Mai, and I don't want to see you get hurt." Zuko said. "That's why I need you to leave the capital, right now. Take your mother and your brother and leave as fast as you can."

"I can't leave you here." Mai shook her head.

"You don't have a choice." Zuko said. "If we're caught, your head will roll next to mine, and I don't want that to happen. Please listen to me, Mai, leave now. I won't be able to do what I have to do if I know you're in the city."

"I'm afraid this will be the last time I'll see you." Mai sniffed.

"Let's hope it is not, shall we?" Zuko smiled. "I… there are no words to tell you how much you mean to me, Mai, and I will never be able to repay you for everything you've done for me."

"You can stay alive, Prince Zuko." Mai wiped away her tears. "So you can become the next Fire Lord and bring peace to the world."

"That's a pleasant idea." Zuko nodded. "I'll try. Now go."

"Before I leave, I have something for you." Mai searched through her clothes. "A medic gave me these herbs."

Zuko stared at the leaves in Mai's hands, very similar to those he had eaten days before.

"What are they for?" he asked.

"The doctor said they would help you with the pain." Mai replied. "And keep your mind clear, for a while."

"Thank you, Mai." Zuko held out his hands and Mai placed the leaves on them. She held on to him for a moment and looked into his eyes.

"Promise me, Prince Zuko, that we will meet again." she said.

"Mai, I…"

"Promise me!" Mai insisted.

"I promise you." Zuko smiled. "We will meet again, Mai."

She nodded and let go of his hands. She quickly rushed and silently left the dungeons.

Zuko stared at the leaves in his hands for a long time. Maybe it was the last push he needed; the final boost in order for him to reach his goal. He put one of the smaller leaves in his mouth and slowly chewed it, waiting for the unknown flavor to hit his tongue and throat. Moments went by and the taste was not as bad as he thought, so he kept chewing until he felt his gums go numb.

Putting away the leaves –knowing he wouldn't be searched again – he sat down on the cold floor again. The pain in his body diminished, causing him to smile and finally be able to concentrate on what he was going to do.

"What are you smiling about?"

This time, the voice did not catch him unaware, since he had been waiting for her to show up any moment.

"Have you come for my head, Sister?" Zuko asked, not standing up. "Or should I call you Fire Lord Azula?"

"News travel fast, it seems." Azula grinned. "It's time, Zuzu, you still have one duty to perform as Prince of the Fire Nation."

"Very well." Zuko stood up. "Hail the Fire Nation."

**End of Chapter**


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

**A/N:** Chapter twenty nine of the series. Thanks to Rosey, who has now taken extra careful measures to ensure there are no grammatical errors in this chapter. Now there's no one left to blame but me.

**Disclaimer:** Avatar… belongs to Nickelodeon.

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Burnout

Zuko stared curiously at his sister's brow, glistening with drops of sweat, continuously falling and soaking her royal attire.

He wondered why she was so nervous; he had seen her in the heat of combat –literally – and she had kept her cool all the way through. It wasn't normal for her to be so nervous and seemingly confused, but perhaps that could work to his advantage. If he had been waiting for a chance, this was it, when his sister was not at a hundred percent.

"What are you looking at?" Azula asked violently when she noticed her brother's insistent gaze.

"Just wondering, is all." Zuko replied, carefully observing Azula's reactions. Her hands were tightly closed, and he guessed her nails were about to break the skin, and blood should trickle down her fingers any time. "I thought you'd be immensely happy when father finally named you Fire Lord. Or shouldn't it be Fire Lady?"

"Shut up, Zuko." Azula said through gritted teeth. "I didn't want to kill you before father officially named me Fire Lord."

Zuko frowned. Since when did his sister give explanations? There was something odd about the way she was behaving, and his answer didn't have to wait long. When they stepped outside of the royal halls and into the main square, he noticed several hundred citizens already gathered there.

It seemed they were Azula's audience, all of them curious to see their new Fire Lord, with an execution of three poor soldiers as the entrée; and his death served as the main dish.

"Poor soldiers." Zuko said. "Executed for doing their job. How proud you must be, Fire Lord."

Azula did not reply, but did slap Zuko with the back of her hand. The hit wasn't hard enough to draw blood and had been delivered with such indifference that Zuko began to actually get worried about his sister's state of mind. He could deal with the indifferent sociopath, but the scared little girl walking in front of him had him positively unnerved. He'd been getting prepared to kill her without a second thought, but now his mind was either playing tricks on him or she was giving the best acting performance of her life.

"What are you going to tell your audience, Azula?" Zuko asked, not knowing how to approach her anymore. "How are you going to explain this execution?"

"Like it is, Zuzu." Azula replied; and for a second she sounded like she always did. "They will lose their lives because they couldn't handle a small threat outside our walls. That should get the point driven through all of their minds; if the Fire Nation loses anymore ground, more soldiers will lose their heads."

"Are you willing to cut all those heads?" Zuko asked, standing just a little bit outside of his sister's range. "Because from what I've heard, it's you against the whole world."

"Don't be silly, big brother." Azula smiled. "Once I'm in charge, everything will be alright. I'm now Fire Lord, and once the comet arrives, the whole world will bow at my feet, and there will be no more need for these… foolish displays of power."

The sweet smile on Azula's face froze Zuko's blood immediately. It was almost as if he was looking at an entirely different person now. He was sure by then that she had never followed their father's commands, under pressure of being punished themselves should they fail. For an instant, he felt a sort of empathy towards her, knowing very well how Ozai punished even the slightest of failures. The constant glances Azula directed at the prisoners she was about to execute convinced Zuko that she had never taken a life, and realized for the first time that he didn't know anything at all about his sister.

"Azula." he said softly. "You don't have to do this."

"Zuzu, please." Azula's smile turned feral. "Don't even try. It's sweet, though, but don't waste your time. I don't know what you're thinking, but this is not about Father, or you, or even the Fire Nation. That's the problem with all of you; you always saw the details. Me? I look at the bigger picture."

Zuko sighed and shook his head. He had foolishly tried to reach out for her, only to be reminded that she was far too insane for him to find common ground between the two of them. The one thing that worried him at the moment was his own guilt, nicely represented in the form of three frightened soldiers kneeling not too far from him.

He gritted his teeth and felt the jump of power in his stomach, answering to his volatile emotions. He didn't know if he should try to save them or wait for Azula's reaction after executing them. If he saved them, then maybe they could try to help him and it would be four against one for a little time. But then again, they could run for their lives the moment he let them loose, because after all, he was a traitor and had been killing Fire Nation soldiers for the past couple weeks.

And the other choice, he didn't think he had the stomach for it – at least not anymore- and it made him sick and angry just for considering it. And yet he could picture it, the moment when Azula would execute the soldiers and the mess she would make of it, because that was the way she was. She would make the most of it, just to prove him wrong and to prove the Fire Nation that she could be as ruthless as their father. It was in that moment where she would be the most vulnerable, bathed in blood and smiling and basking in the midst of her ultimate triumph, the only instant when she would not be thinking about him.

But what if she were not to be basking in triumph? What if she were to be scared like a little animal, bathed in blood, unable to understand what she'd done? What would he do then? If he attacked her then, would he be able to murder her in cold blood? Or would he be too shocked to see his little sister scared witless and thus turn the tables instead?

That would be something to see: the newest Fire Lord freeze after executing criminals, then the traitorous Crown Prince Zuko trying to kill her, only to freeze himself and be killed afterwards by a recovered Fire Lord.

That would sure make Katara smile, just because of the irony of it all.

"It's almost time, Zuzu." Azula's voice brought Zuko back to the present. "What happened to you? I mean, not that you were the best that our family could offer, but honestly, you're a mess now."

"I just saw how the world sees us, Azula." Zuko replied. "And I didn't like it."

"How is it? How does the world see us?"

"Like murderers, Azula." Zuko answered. "Like we're not worthy to walk this earth with them. And maybe they're right. It's like seeing the pain of the whole world reflected in those eyes, cursing us, yet also trying to figure us out, Azula. Those eyes will drill all the way to your soul and make you realize there's something wrong with us, and the very memory of those eyes will make us want to be better; to change from the monsters we've become and maybe get a chance to correct our past mistakes."

"All that in those eyes?" Azula's smile grew. "Are you sure you're not in love with the Avatar, Zuzu? Because that would explain a lot of things."

"What? I'm not talking about the Avatar's eyes, Azula, I meant…!" Zuko closed his mouth and cursed himself for almost talking too much. He saw the little speck of fire dancing in his sister's eyes and he realized he had let his tongue slip too much.

"And you accuse me of being the mad one in the family." Azula laughed. "To fall for a water tribe peasant, Zuko; how the mighty have fallen."

Zuko kept his mouth shut, knowing that anything he said would only fall on deaf ears and would make him seem desperate. He merely shook his head and kept walking towards the kneeling prisoners. He had already made up his mind, after everything he'd told his sister. There was no way he would let those three men die, not even if it meant a little advantage over his sister. He had killed far too many soldiers to just stand there and watch them die.

Zuko stopped walking when he reached the soldiers, and kneeled beside them. He noticed how they bristled, but it was only normal; it was because of him that they were there, and he had made a name for himself after killing several Fire Nation Soldiers.

He vaguely listened as Azula's new position as Fire Lord was announced to the citizens while he looked around, trying to find a way for him to get those three men out of there.

"Any of you served under my uncle's command?" he asked. He wasn't surprised when none of them replied. Sighing, he asked again.

"The three of us did." one of them almost barked back at him. "And look where that led us. How's your fat uncle, traitor?" **  
**  
"I'll let you have that one, because I deserve it." Zuko growled back. "But right now, I'm trying to think about a way to get you out of here alive. Or were you just planning on staying here and letting Azula kill you without even lifting a hand?"

"Look where you are, you scarred fool." another soldier said. "Do you think we could have gotten away from your mad sister? Or your equally insane father?"

"You didn't have me." Zuko said. "I want all of this to end as soon as possible, and if my uncle is really outside these walls, then it will be so. Did you personally see him?"

The three soldiers nodded.

"Very well." Zuko smiled. "Very well."

"What are you going to do?" one of the soldiers asked.

"Nothing." Zuko lied, fearing that one of them could try to betray him and perhaps win the favor of the mad Fire Lord. "We wait, and hope my uncle gets here in time."

"That's your plan?" One of them cried out. "You're as crazy as them all!"

Zuko didn't reply, seeing his sister slowly walking towards them. Stopping in front of one of the soldiers, she kneeled and looked at him.

"And? What did you learn?" she asked.

"Nothing, My Lord." The soldier's voice shook. "Your brother has no plan whatsoever, save waiting for your uncle to come."

"Too bad." Azula sighed and stood up. "Too bad for all of you. Now, who shall I kill first?"

Zuko saw the horror appear on the faces of the three soldiers, a mask of fear he had seen far too much in the moments before he took a life. He wanted to look away, but he knew he only had one chance.

If his sister was thinking like he was, she would execute first the soldier she'd hoped would betray him, and perhaps he should let her do it, then jump into action.

But that was not what he wanted to do anymore. He wouldn't be able to live with himself anymore, and he would be far too ashamed to let his uncle know that he'd let a man die just because it suited his plans best.  
He would be too ashamed if those blue eyes that haunted him would hear about it.

So he took deep breaths as he saw the blue fire daggers appear on his sister's hands. He reached out for the violence and the dance, and slowly let the fire of his powers fill his body.

When Azula's hands went up in the air, he knew the time had come. He closed his eyes and thought of his mother, his uncle, and Katara, and wondered if they would be proud of him.

**End of Chapter**


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